YES

Had I been a punk music fan in 1993, I think I could have been forgiven for believing that “punk was dead,” at least in the sense of hardcore punk. Most hardcore or hardcore-influenced bands had gone one of three ways, if they still existed: some of the originals who were still together were just making the same music over and over again; others made their sound much more melodic and the bands in their wake got increasingly poppy to the point where the hardcore elements vanished; other bands got arty. I certainly don’t begrudge the final group but there’s always time for musical rebellion and I think that a punk fan in 1993 might have been wondering where the spirit go to.

Well, it’s here. I know very little about Riot Grrrl and do not know when it started and who started it but this record is about as close to perfect a feminist punk record as I could imagine.

The songs are short and punchy but catchy enough that the sheer noise of them isn’t overwhelming.

The lyrics are about as self-affirming but provocative as they could get without verging into “I’m saying this just to get a reaction” territory. (Yes, I’m sure they were trying to get a reaction but that’s not the only reason they’re singing.)

The playing is a nice balance of punk amateurism and hints of musicality. They are far from the least competent punk bands and Hanna has more of a voice than she initially lets on. It’s great to hear the combination of sloppiness and rawness with hints of something more sophisticated that was so powerful in hardcore which, to the best of my knowledge, had basically vanished from punk music by the early 1990s.

Just a great record that reminds you of the vitality of early hardcore but puts a new, necessary lyrical spin on it. One of the great punk albums of the 1990s at the very least.

9/10