Um, 1950’s-style punk. Prominent female vocals, punk-inflected guitars, really good drumming, and a retro feel in the songwriting that comes partly from the crooning backup choruses, partly from the relatively clean sound, and partly from the sweet key changes. Kim Shattuck has this amazingly flexible vocal delivery—who else can sound like she’s crying and puking at the same time? Lyrics mostly deal with throwing off patriarchal oppression by dumping one’s boyfriend. No FCC’s.

Track 1: *Lyrics: “every time I think of you I think I want to die,” delivered with as much disgust as is appropriate.
Track 2: 1950’s style love croon, wryly delivered. Power guitar solo in the middle.
Track 3: Is the sinuous melodic line meant to be a negation of the lyrics in this post-breakup independence song?
Track 4: Folky, with a tambourine. Confessions of strength and vulnerability, etc. Ending builds pleasingly.
Track 5: Guitars are peppy and growly at the same time, if such a thing is possible. Croony backup chorus at the end wanders into barbershop quartet territory.
Track 6: ***Patsy Cline-esque—a sort of unholy union between rockabilly and Tin Pan Alley. Nimble vocals with great lyrics: “Don’t pick on me and I won’t torture you.” Demented back-up chorus takes it out.
Track 7: Laid-back tempo, with a back-beat that makes it seem like slow-motion ska. I gather that she misses her ex-boyfriend.
Track 8: *Boppy bass line, cheerful post-breakup lyrics. Croony backup chorus. “Every time I think of you I think/ My lucky day is when I left and finally went away.” Backup chorus makes me think of Barbie for some reason.
Track 9: Non-annoying harmonica. Tambourine makes another appearance. Swaying 6/8 tempo.
Track 10: Sunny anthem about being housebound.
Track 11: Vaguely surfer feel. The song that Malibu Barbie would sing if she could kick ass. Ends with the popular feedback sound.
Track 12: ***Gleefully angry, with a rawkin’ bass line. Lyrics are intelligent and funny, but could be summarized as ‘you’re driving me crazy.’
Track 13: Growly guitars, sweetly childish vocals and lyrics. Mr. Crazy is grievously misunderstood by the world at large.
Track 14: **Folky—acoustic guitar and harmonica. Sweet innocent anti-marriage song.
Track 15: *Upbeat, guitarful, gender-role-reversing stalker song: “you run from me / and I will not allow it.”
Track 16: Like noisy Beatles. With screaming.
Track 17: 'Story of Me' or 'Story of Moaning Backup Chorus?'

-Kathryn