She Wants Revenge CD Review

She Wants Revenge consists of Adam Bravin and Justin Warfield. Working with drum machines and an array of keyboards and synthesizers, augmented by the occasional electric guitar, the duo has gradually been building buzz in the last 18 months. This is their debut album.

"She Wants Revenge" (10 tracks, plus one hidden track; 64 min.) is so deeply rooted in Joy Division and early New Order, you are going to enjoy this album tremendously if you like those bands. If you don't, don't waste your time or money. There are really no weak tracks as such. First single "These Things" is an enjoyable hum-along. "Out of Control" is a great club-song ("The Lights That Move Sideways and Up and Down/The Beat Takes You Over and Spins You Round"). The best is saved for last: first there is the new single "Tear You Apart", which both musically and lyrically is a derivative of Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart", but oh so catchy! Then there is the "hidden" bonus track, which plays as track 66 on my CD player, a great 7+ min. epic song and a perfect way to end the album.

While She Wants Revenge often gets mentioned along the same lines as Interpol due to the connection to/influence by, musically She Wants Revenge is in fact much closer to, say, the Faint. I saw She Wants Revenge live about a year ago, and immediately took a liking to their music.

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When California based She Wants Revenge released their debut album back in early 2006, it fast became apparent that they had created the soundtrack for the dark and debaucherous on many-a-dance-floors across the nation.

Much like their Electronic Rock fore-fathers; Dave Gahan, Rob Smith and Ian Curtis had done so before, She Wants Revenge offered a voice and a rhythm for scorned lovers, bored housewives, jaded hipsters, gender-benders and club-kids across the nation, all seductively swaying their hips and pouting along to the undeniably catchy tunes such as These Things, Out of Control and the instant cross over hit Tear You Apart.

By retracing the musical footsteps of their childhood, they struck a nerve in music fans everywhere, with their tales of betrayal, lies, and deceit. They went on to sell more than 300,000 copies in the USA alone. The band had realized that music fans craved more than the average love song, and if they were going to write songs, they wanted to explore the sides of male-female dynamics that are usually left unexplored and unexamined.

Set to an infectious beat, they decided to sing about things you shouldn't do, and the things one does when no one is looking.

One song that encapsulated all of the above was their first single "Tear You Apart", it soon became a Top 5 Alt. Radio Single and was one of the biggest hits and radio spun tunes of 2006. Joaquin Phoenix went on to direct the video for the single which gained heavy rotation on all the leading networks, reached the homes of millions and secured a credible place in most critics and fans heads and almost everyone's record collections, myspace page and dance floors around.

Shortly after, they were invited to share a several dates with idol Brit pioneers Depeche Mode, in a surreal and symbolic passing of the baton, She Wants Revenge began to realize that the music they had lovingly written was beginning to reach a far larger audience than they had ever imagined. They went on to appear on all leading late night television shows including Conan, Letterman, Kimmel and Leno along with tours with Bloc Party, The Kills, and Placebo most recently.

Now it's their second round, and with the upcoming album release of "This Is Forever" (Geffen) out on Oct 09 - Justin Warfield and musical partner "Adam 12" Bravin have done what few new bands have managed to do - to not only beat the sophomore slump, but to have recorded an album that some would argue actually beats their impressive debut.

This Is Forever continues where their self-titled debut left off, a figurative morning after to the dance of the night before. Still continuing on the same path of creating thought provoking and emotional dance music, the album deals in the familiar themes of love, loss, and betrayal, yet somehow even darker in tone, with beats that bang even harder, and if it's possible, even catchier songs...a tall feat, but one they welcomed with open arms. With no intention of playing it safe this time out, the guys have crafted a challenging and compelling album that they are proud to present to their loyal fans and the uninitiated alike.

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