She Wants Revenge somber yet entertaining
By Jeff Renfro
She Wants Revenge, the newest band to come from the schizophrenic Sheffield, English music scene, may very well be a group of fakes. The band remains purposefully removed from the limelight, and in their one often-reproduced interview, they spend most of their allotted space criticizing the current state of music.
For a band that is so critical of musical cronyism to produce an album with this lack of creativity is surprising. She Wants Revenge has created an incredibly entertaining album, but pushes no boundaries.
There are two band members, known only as Justin and Adam. They are regulars on the British DJ scene, and have created an album heavily informed by the dance music they spin.
She Wants Revenge is equally influenced by Joy Division and Prince. The backbone of each song on their self-titled debut is an electronic, bass-heavy riff. The guitar is used sparingly and complements the rhythm more than it makes distinctive contributions to the music.
On first listen, She Wants Revenge sounds like a Goth band and the monotonous delivery of the lyrics does little to alter this impression. The singing mimics Joy Division's Ian Curtis even more than Interpol and limits the band to secondary, also-ran status.
The most interesting aspect of the band is the contrast between the bands somber sound and its playful lyrics. Literally every song on the album is about falling in love with a girl and dancing with her, or breaking up with a girl and then dancing with her.
The band is renowned for the crowd participation at their shows and it must be quite a sight to see a theater full of people dancing to such depressing music. The album's standout track is the current single, "Tear You Apart." The song is near the end of the album and is refreshing mainly because of the snare drum that anchors it.
It is the first song to feature any lighter sounds. After all of the bass-y, bottom-heavy tracks that precede it, "Tear You Apart" is a welcome departure.
The band's major downfall is an inability to write concise songs. Many of the album's tracks break the five-minute mark. The droning sound would function much better in smaller doses because the lyrics are ridiculous, but they are so ridiculous that it works.
Many of them are vulgar and unsuitable for print in a school newspaper. The songs feature graphic depictions of adventurous sex which are so over-the-top that they can be dismissed and forgotten.
The album clearly has a lot of problems, but it is also fun to listen to. It gets old quickly, but is perfect for a change of pace. She Wants Revenge will surely fade away, but this album is memorable as an incredibly fun depressant.
Grade: B-
Contact Jeff Renfro at (408) 551-1918 or jrenfro@scu.edu.