Review: Brijitte West And The Desperate Hopefuls

Hi. Sorry about the break, but at least I've remembered as opposed to accidentally having a very long hiatus. Anyway, fulfilling my duty as a teenager who is one step away from being a hipster, here I am with a bright and shiny CD that came through my letterbox only today from a new group: Brijitte West And The Desperate Hopefuls. I'll not even pretend to have any familiarity with the frontwoman herself beyond awareness of her as a known-in-certain-circles character. However the band involves members of Kitty Hudson, who are a band I like quite a lot and whose music I will probably get around to wringing through my clumsy review style some point in the future.
Anyway, quick history of the band: I was reading Über Röck's writeup and liked what they said, so I checked their Myspace. (Yes, I still own a Myspace. I mostly use it to keep tabs on various bands and to run a small and typically angsty teenage blog whose sole reader is either myself when I post, or my friend, or possibly both on a particularly good day.) The tracks hit me almost immediately as some music does, so nothing ventured nothing gained, I figured out how much money I had kicking around after the recent gig ticket onslaught and ordered a copy of the CD. This is my first listen to it as well so it'll either be very honest or a bit clueless. Onwards into the relatively unknown.

The Review

Okay, so here's the deal so far from the Myspace tracks. Here we have some straightforwards punkish rock fronted by a rather gritty-voiced woman. If I was very familiar with Joan Jett, there would probably be comparisons bandied around. But I am unfortunately musically lazy at times and so am not familiar. My main concern is that with Brijitte using members of an established band as her own, it might just feel like one of their albums entirely with a guest vocalist.

Track 1 is 'Hard To Believe', which starts with a spoken part: "I'm so glad I know you because if I saw you and didn't know you, I'd have to know you." Confusing, yes. And from there we take a leap into a fast-paced riff and Brijitte's drawling rocker voice backed by Richie's own equally drawling growl. I have to say I'm loving the bass and guitar riffs here. This is also a pretty great song in that lyrically it reverses the usual man/woman dynamic in a lot of slightly sleazy punk. Brijitte's voice is sweeter in tone than a lot of female punk rock vocalists but the song here isn't the typical "boys-don't-you-want-me" deal, or the spurned love song. This is a simple statement of "I want you". And for a female-fronted band, or at least the ones you typically find, that's pretty unusual and I'm happy to hear it for a change.

'Mess Of Myself'. This is the song that hit me enough to make the purchase when I heard it as the lyrics hit me on a personal level. Anyway, the buildup of this song like a spring being compressed in the tense guitars and stomping yet restrained drums works really well here. Once the main refrain hits, there is a sense of disappointment as it could have been more explosive, however the song picks up a good momentum that carries it through, and it has to be said, this is very catchy. The oh-oh-na-na bridge is slightly confusing, however that could just be my own musical preference here as it fits well with the song, Brijitte's more sugary tones pulling it off nicely. The chorus springs back to a sudden end.

'It's Not My Fault' abandons the build approach of the previous two for an instant kickstart, the fast-paced hopping drums and jaunty guitars reminiscent of Kitty Hudson, however the more obvious control and sense of style is very much a Brijitte West influence, turning the pissed-up boys' ROCK AND FUCKIN' ROLL brigade (I love them but that is what their music is about) into something more streamlined and clean. However she hardly waters it down. The gang vocal style feels a bit superfluous in places however Brijitte holds her own very well, the grit in her voice lending her plenty of power. The whole thing is very tight, being a fast track with hurtling cymbals and another guitar/bass riff attack that goes at a speed you'd probably get knobbled for on a motorway. Very, very fun. Also the stop-start trick is used to good effect here.

'Walk Out' brings the buildup back with some very nice riffwork and the obligatory bass sliding zoom that must happen once in every rock album for it to be cool. Lyrically, this album seems to have a certain thread of someone who is dyed-in-the-wool child of the rock 'n' roll lifestyle, even if they try otherwise and deep down, they know this.

'Bleeding Heart' starts with the instruments dropping in one by one, the clicky drums and newly-distorted guitar and chugging bass. This has pop much more at the forefront, and here is the missing-you love song of the album. However there's still a sense of the driving force left over from earlier to carry this through, and Brijitte adds a sense of playful fun to this slightly melancholy and sentimental song, her grit-and-sugar singing style even giving way to a whoop. The structure of the song is fresh enough to be fun as well.

The start of 'Bitter And Twisted' is a slow, melodic guitar playing alone, a hangover from the previous song, if you will. Brijitte's voice here loses the grit and she sounds like a woman who has dropped her guard to speak her heart. The album seems to have lost some of its momentum and attitude in the land of power ballads, however this feels like a natural mood to turn to, unlike many of its ilk. The whole lyrical content feels like the confessional of someone and this switch to soulful hands-in-air style isn't half as awkward as it can be. Also, this doesn't drag. Well done Desperate Hopefuls, you've done good here. Thanks for a good slow song.

'Hey Papito'. A momentary runup from the heavy bass and off we go again after the two-song breather into rocking out to chugging guitars and stamping cymbal-filled funtimes punk rock. Once again Brijitte isn't afraid to assert herself in her songs, if she wants someone she wants them. The song itself can get a bit grating but the punky riff underneath carries it through the dubious pop tones. Also, nice and fast. Most songs here barely cross three minutes, none hitting four, meaning there isn't much room for superfluous happenings.

'Long Island Lolita' starts with a stomping build that seems to be part of the general tone of this album. This is a tongue-in-cheek, attitude-filled song of a ruthless teenage girl who doesn't let things get in her way. The stop-start comes into play and there's a very nice instrumental part here that showcases the talents of the band backing up Brijitte's voice.

'All Roads Lead To You' has the typical intro, yet Brijitte's take on things gives a nice perspective here. The chorus bounces along at a fair clip too, leading to brief battering of the drums and the next verse. Fun solo here.

'How To Be Good' has a good bassline happening here, and a laid-back feel to the music, and Brijitte's voice sounds as she's come to terms with some of the shadows written earlier on. This song is a duet with her and Jesse Malin, and their voices compliment each other very well here, with a similar sound. There's a very American tone to the music that comes into its own here and works nicely as opposed to feeling slightly suppressed in earlier songs. The handclaps are questionable, but overall a pretty damn good way to finish off an album, signing off with a kiss, a grin and an up-yours.

So overall, patchy in places but pretty damn good to be honest - an album that remembers that music is entertainment. It is very much a musical entity of its own with a voice and sound that is worth a listen. And it has to be said that if I owned a hairbrush, these are the songs I'd sing into it.

Review: Funhouse - Iggy and the Stooges

Yes, this is anything but a current release. However, I belong to a school of thought that states that most problems can be soothed, if not solved, by quality rock 'n' roll and a good cup of coffee, and this album is one of the staples of this belief.
The backstory here is that over Christmas I was doing Maths revision and my brain suddenly said "Iggy Pop" and that thought lurked there until I went out and bought this album. Up until this point the only song I'd heard by him was 'China Girl', which I like, but I hadn't heard much of his earlier stuff until this point, so I didn't really know what to expect.

The Review

Iggy Pop. Prior to this I knew him for those rather embarrassing insurance adverts, and for being another inspirational artist that I hadn't really listened to. So knowing next to nothing, I ploughed into this album and found something... well, I can't describe it. Something you don't find much of these days. Raw, dirty, angry, yet with a sense of genuine intelligence and artistry behind the fog of absolute chaos.

Things kick off with 'Down On The Street' and its straightforwards rock 'n' roll riff. What starts off as tinny punk explodes briefly before settling back into its groove, and Iggy's drawling snarled vocals continue before once again everything kicks into overdrive, yelping and snarling and giving your eardrums a good kicking in the process before leaving them in the corner dazed to listen to the solo, which gives another surprise in that it is actually very good. Most early punk seemed to be angry people with instruments. This is angry people who are good at playing instruments.

Next up is 'Loose'. Things pick up with a faster and unhinged riff and the warning to watch out. Well hello. It has to be said that Iggy's vocals are still not entirely there, occasionally seeming a little too relaxed but every so often they surprise you with sudden yelps and snarls that lift the song. This track is where the true nature of this album begins to shine. Yes, it is the roots of punk rock and as such has an aggressive and mostly very basic and functional approach to music. But behind this lurks what is, in essence, a malignant and truly phenomenal jam session. The rhythm section keeps chugging along as the guitar unleashes some great sounds and the vocals enter a whole new dimension. And they are not afraid to change the tone, tempo and feel of the song when they want to.

And now: 'TV Eye', which even I had heard of prior to listening, if only because The 69 Eyes covered it at some point. As much as I adore that band to the point of getting as many EPs, live covers and B-sides as I can, they could not prepare me for the addictive insanity that is this song. Here, everything that was previously brewing in the music just blows up. A shout, a whoop, and glouriously chaotic and unhinged riff and fantastically simple yet tight drumming and off we go. This song has a crazy momentum driving it forwards that defies words, yet retains the languidly cool air of raw dirt that the previous tracks held. Once again, great instrumentals and possibly one of the most addictive basslines I've played. Things just keep getting more and more intense as things go on until it falls into an ominously chugging riff accompanied by all kinds of strange noises, building in a madly frantic manner with an aggressive riff until it grinds to a halt and starts at the beginning with that great riff before ending with another quick noodle on guitar.

'Dirt' starts with a chance for the drums to show their stuff before loping into a bluesy slow-jam. This is the band's statement to the world: "Dirt, and I don't care." This epitomises the attitude of this album. Yes, it is alien and filthy and will probably be questioned and attacked, and it just doesn't care. It is here to do what it does and do it well regardless of what anyone might say. The slow tempo works great here, showing the versatility of the band, Iggy's harsh staccato vocals blending wonderfully with the guitar, which retains its rough tones but develops a new facet where it almost shimmers and blends with itself. The bass keeps everything under a steady guidance, allowing the drums the occasional flourish. As the song progresses, things relax again to their state of defiant cool, and Iggy's voice softens slightly before things pick up for a moment, showing that the band might have slowed down but the chaos shown in previous tracks is still just below the surface, and the song tails off to its natural end with a satisfying feeling.

'1970' once again unleashes whooping and a stomping drumbeat to artistic chainsaw guitars and a beautifully simple and driving bassline. This is a real punk rock predecessor: fast and streamlined and angry, but in a controlled manner that makes it feel perhaps more threatening than much of the snotty shouting that punk came to mean. Never have the words "I feel alright" sounded so ominous than when they accompany another great moment of musicianship. This starts out as a more recognisable and typical rock 'n' roll than some of this album, but it is a good example of this. And the sudden saxophone makes an interesting addition, then the song descends into another demented and ominous jam session.

'Fun House' picks up where this left off, the saxophone blending with the other instruments to create a solid wall of musicianship. This is almost punk-jazz, and the vocals drawl and yelp and snarl over this, only adding to this volatile mix of attitude and talent. Whereas a lot of music is used to draw attention to the lyrics and singing, here the vocals serve more as an accompaniment to the musicianship, which once again lurches between simple yet powerful riffs and some fantastic solos and melodies. Everything gets its chance to be heard, and at times it can feel like the instruments are jostling to be heard in a crowded space. Imagine a small sweatbox venue somewhere, the ones where the support band have to stand on one another, and this is where this song seems to have grown out of, and sprawled out of the constraints of that venue into something else. Possibly a jazz club, and assimilated what it heard in there and worked into into this snarling monstrosity.

Finally, 'LA Blues', staring off with yelping and hammering drums and wailing guitar and saxophone and madly spiralling bass that build like an elastic band being stretched to breaking point and further before seeming to fly off in slow motion in a fog of distorted guitar and clattering drums and every aspect of the music being pushed as far as it will go before it seems to implode into a black hole of its own making. This is how the track continues, with everything sounding like it is being dragged into this black hole of feedback and sound, occasionally reaching out and being pulled back in before it is eventually swallowed up and fades into something like otherworldly tinnitus.

So yeah, not sure if what just happened is punk in the strictest sense, but it has the beginnings of the movement in there and is well worth a listen if you have the attention span of eight minutes and an appreciation of rock as music. Or jazz. Or music in general I suppose.