Violet Violet
Baby's Going Down

The songs are in a different order on the CD to the tracklisting on the front – and, indeed, to the order implied by the use of the “b/w” indicator on the press release. So I’m going to err on the side of caution, and indeed of bewilderment, and assume this is a double a-side affair rather than yer usual a/b arrangement.

That’s not an assumption that requires too much of an imaginary leap, as both tracks on here are perfectly worthy of a-side status, both being riotous slices of girl rock fantasticness with enough variation between ‘em to prevent Violet Violet being charged with one-song-ponydom. ‘Love This Band’ crunches and thunders its way through an aggressive, power-chording verse which makes way for a sharper edged, jerkier sound in the chorus; while ‘Baby’s Going Down’ spirals frantically through the descending guitars of the verse before switching to an ominous and overcast mood for the chorus. ‘Love This Band’ has a straight-upfront, unapologetically in-yer-face stripped-down feeling to it; ‘Baby’s Going Down’ uses interlaced “Woah-oh-oh” noises to add a disorientating layer of sound over the top of the already frantically fast riff.

Both tracks are fine samples of angry riotgrrl-type punk in the Sleater Kinney vein, with the intelligence to sneer with accuracy and the guts to be loud enough to mean it. And, along with all the venom, there’s also an ear for a tune and an inventiveness which mean that as well as being invigorating and ear searing, these tracks are bloody good fun.