Bitch Alert
Highly entertaining Finnish band, they were 2004's main discovery for me. And here's an index page for them, because I soon accumulated several pages, reviewing their four albums and their two 2004 appearances in Manchester. They're basically a three piece - Heinie on vocals and guitar, Kimmo on bass, and Maritta on drums. Though you'll also see Marko or Robert or Jukka whoever (I'm losing track of the extra guitarists, they seem to come and go like Spinal Tap's drummers) in live performance. Heinie is the charismatic leader, writing most of the songs, and delivering them with a distinctive and impressive voice ranging from sweet to aggressive, from lyrical to screeching.
The Albums
I Can Feel Your Bones
Here
now! You have to do the internet thing, and cross your fingers about
all that international postal excitement; but if you're lucky, new fourth
album I Can Feel Your Bones will turn up and
transform your life into something much more enjoyable. This is a very
welcome package of goodies, some surprises, and some familiar hard rock. Get your ears rinsed out, and thank your God that you live in the same human era as
Heinie, Kimmo and Maritta. ...read more
Kill Your Darlings
2004's Kill Your Darlings I discovered by accident, and sent to a shop in Finland for. It seemed harder and less adventurous at first but when I listened to it properly I was knocked over and it's ended up my most played disk so far this year. It's an album of powerful kerrangg(sp?)-friendly classic rock; there are a couple of impressive moody ballads, some pieces of driving guitar attack, and some memorable grungy songs. Including an out and out swear-fest in the catchiest song, My Boy. ...read more
..rriot!
..rriot dates from 2002 but it was reissued in the UK in 2004 'as new', with the result that touring here that year they were playing what to them was old material. It's something of a best-of-so-far package. It's full of strong songs with great hooks and an underlying grungy feel. Lyrically there's loads of classic teen alienation, disaffection with male behaviour, and humour of the dry sardonic wit variety. Monday was released as a single later in the Summer. ...read more
Pay For Orgasm
First album Pay For Orgasm appeared in 2001. Three of the songs appear in new versions on ..rriot. It's better than you might expect, though it lacks the superior production standards of the later albums. The band's themes of teenage angst, homophobia, badness and generally being different are all well established here, and there are three or four standout tracks which make this cd a worthwhile purchase. ...read more
Live Reviews
20 September 2004 - Bar 38, Manchester, In The City/Finnish Showcase
6 July 2004 - Academy 3, Manchester, supporting 3 Colours Red
Links
The
band's site has been redesigned and is now mainly English language.
Because the band writes in English, they say; but it's probably because
it's simply easier not to have to bother with two sites. The content
is now fresher and the whole thing has a lot more personality than before.
Poko is Bitch Alert's Finnish record company, owned by EMI I think. You'll spot some interesting-looking bits and pieces relating
to the band, and wish you had a Finnish friend to tell you what they
meant.