For some it is still a case of “I like your old stuff better than your new stuff”, but I think this time around The Donnas truly live up to the name of their album. For 14 years or so now The Donnas have milked their ‘80s rock influences dry, extracting everything they can from their idols The Ramones. Right from the get-go with the title track, there’s a massive theatrical, almost apocalyptic, build-up, enticing the listener in with the long instrumental lead-in.
If I was going to be critical it would be to mention that the production is a little too slick, dulling any rough edges that may have been in the recording in the early stages of conception. Nevertheless, the riff-tastic Don’t Wait Up For Me makes things pretty clear to the lyrically targeted son-of-a-bitch that things are practically over. Wasted is a little too clichéd, but the arena rock moments come by way of What Do I Have To Do and Save. Like An Animal is a hot and sexy number with the ‘grrrr’ factor peaking on high. There are moments where The Donnas take a glance back to their teen years, such as with Girl Talk,but I really do think they can do better than that and leave the cheese factor to other try-hard girly rock bands. There’s plenty of chunky chord riffs and reverb to make this totally Bitchin’.
Rob Lyon