Album Review by Mark Bayross
This is the third album from Queen Adreena, completing what singer Katie Jane Garside sees as a trilogy after TAXIDERMY and DRINK ME. And what a way to complete the circle, with dynamic songwriting and powerful musicianship, especially from former Daisy Chainsaw cohort Crispin Gray, whose guitar shreds its way through the record like, well…a chainsaw.
The usual Queen Adreena elements are here – thunderous tribal drumming, Katie Jane’s twisted baby doll vocals (although on the whole less hysterical than before) – but delivered with punchy economy and deadly precision and building into a number of satisfyingly brutal blues-punk stompathons (see SUCK, IN RED, ASCENDING STARS).
Lyrically, we’re in familiar horror show territory, from the tale of paedophilia and murder in single FM DOLL (based on a true story sadly) to the intense soul-baring of old (THE BUTCHER AND THE BUTTERFLY), and the feeling that this band really is some kind of therapy for a genuinely troubled young lady. However, the acoustic CHILDPROOF provides some respite from the sonic assault as Katie Jane’s voice floats along singing “just get through the night…this time”.
PJ Harvey fans who for some reason have yet to discover Queen Adreena will love this album – it’s thrilling, hook-laden and actually speaks to those of us who like our music vital and raw. Plus in the brilliant Curve-like PULL ME UNDER, they have a potential hit on their hands.
