Never quite grasping the success of some of their equally madcap peers, Violent Femmes have rightly earned their place in musical history with their outstanding debut alone. Despite how catchy and soundtrack-ready ‘Blister in the Sun’ may prove, however, it’s often ignored how influential and truly unique Gordon Gano has proven as a songwriter these past three decades. Often neurotic tales of love and longing boosted by surreal imagery and propelled by an acoustically-led punk rock attack. Years of infighting and a late ‘90s output kindly put as ‘lacking’ have seen the band recently settle on performing some truly fun concerts to an appreciative global audience with no wave of demand for fresh material.
As with any middle aged group who can happily be giving the moniker of ‘cult icons’ a recent reformation and following album release can ring alarm bells. But credit to the Femmes, as here we see them buck the trend, releasing a sprightly ten-song set which could easily stand up to anything released in the ‘80s. This is in part is thanks to Gano digging out old journals and demos for inspiration, finding a younger voice to match his real one which much like Frank Black’s or Robert Smith’s remains happily unchanged.
‘Memory’ starts things off in signature upbeat fashion, its strummed guitars and shuffling percussion sounding refreshingly fresh as it always has. ‘I Could Be Anything’ handles the rarely tackled issue of dragon slaying with a sea shanty and proves a witty treat. ‘Issues’s tale of sleeping with an emotionally unstable and needy friend is a lyrical feast all laid out with a sing-a-long chorus, and will put a smile on the face of any fan.
Madness and humour are giving a rest on the straight soppiness of ‘What You Really Mean’, a sweet Dylan-esque slice of Americana that proves genuinely touching. Brian Ritchie’s chugging bass fuels ‘Traveling Solves Everything’ – an ode to wanderlust and transport options aided by long time backing band Horns Of Dilemma. The promise of more music comes with closer ‘I’m Not Done’, a fitting end from a band who’ve hopefully buried their differences and continue to deliver more mad tales and soundscapes.
7/10
Words: Sam Walker-Smart
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