Sweet Revenge by Bangs

Sweet Revenge

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Sweet Revenge

Features

Audio CD (May 16, 2000)

Original Release Date: May 16, 2000

Number of Discs: 1

Label: Kill Rock Stars

Catalog Number: 336

Reader Reviews
On the post-riot-grrrl landscape, female-fronted punk bands range from the Sleater-Kinney camp, which merges perky cheerleader chants with adventurous art-rock, to the Donnas and their daughters, who churn out straight-forward rockers that attempt to make up for in spunk what they lack in substance. In the middle of this spectrum are Sleater-Kinney's Olympia, Washington neighbors The Bangs, who blend their hand-clapping go-go pop with infectious riffs reminiscent of Cheap Trick. (The group ends its sophomore album, Sweet Revenge, with a knowing cover of that band's "Southern Girls.") As a result, The Bangs are accessible without dumbing down their tunes, many of which are relatively complex with bass-driven breakdowns and searing solos. Lyrically, the group mixes its playful spirit with a more mature attitude, as on "Train Wreck," which begins with singer Sarah Utter delivering flirty come-ons, then slows down as she weighs the possible consequences of her impulsive actions. "Shick Shadel" matches a dark melodic undercurrent with appropriately downbeat lyrics (I tear my hair out watching her win/While I'm resigned as a distant friend), but the next song, "Licorice Whip," quickly re-establishes the record's peppy slumber-party feel. With Sweet Revenge, The Bangs balance the best of both worlds -- raw enough to remain genuine, but polished enough to demand respect.

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