Jennie Bomb

Sahara Hotnights

Jetset Records, 2001

http://www.saharahotnights.com

REVIEW BY: Chris Harlow

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 07/02/2003

As I sit here refreshing myself to the tracks on the Sahara Hotnights' Jennie Bomb release, which I have inexplicably shelved for the past nine months, I am finding myself perusing the thank you notes on the inside jacket of the album. I can't help but notice that each band the Sahara Hotnights give props to has elements within their own production that the Swedish quartet uses in defining their own attitude, persona, and sound while in the recording studio. Perhaps this is an obvious correlation but being the liner note junkie that I am, I have come to expect bands of the same feather to flock together. But then, I guess these bands aren't usually spoken in the same breath which is why I am so intrigued.

The roll call includes a nod to the Donnas, with whom the Sahara Hotnights share the same all-female band composition and throwback rock sound; the Swedish group Randy, whose pop music sounds translate into similar all-ages accessibility for this album, the Hives and their spunky attitude, the Hellacopters and their soulfulness, the Soundtrack of Our Lives and their even-keeled lyrical resourcefulness, and Danko Jones for such an inspiring hipness quotient. With the Sahara Hotnights drawing their sounds on their sophomore release from such an eclectic array of artists, my_heart_sings_the_harmony_web_ad_alt_250 Jennie Bomb obviously benefits with tracks that dish out formula rather than ingredient.

The first track, "Alright, Alright (Here's My Fist, Where's the Fight?)" is an aptly titled battle-cry that has vocalist Maria Andersson goading her bandmates into forceful chants of "Alright!", "Alright!" at various peaks in the song. It's catchy in a very Runaways like way. Incidentally, the song has also been tracked on various episodes of the testosterone charged televison show, Jackass, as the song's application has been more than fitting with the scenes in which it has been paired.

"Keep up the Speed" does just that as it operates off a similar attitudinal blueprint from the opening song. Accelerating tempo building off a fuzzed out, stoner rock-like guitar intro by Jennie Apslund (think Fu Manchu), the song is the one track that includes the songwriting efforts of all members of the band. Otherwise Andersson and drummer, Josephine Forsman are pegged with the credits of the other ten songs on the album.

It's when Andersson sings "On Top of Your World" that a Debbie Harry like sultriness is exposed in her vocal delivery. And it's yet another quality providing the signature element that best defines Jennie Bomb and captures the Sahara Hotnights at their best. The remaining eight songs rely much more in changes of tempo than than the over the top attitude of the first two tracks.

As a result, Jennie Bomb is an album that sufficiently achieves crossover appeal. Those that cherish accessible vocal melodies found in many of today's commercial releases will cheer this album as will the gearheads that crave forceful hard rock edginess. For a band to find this chemistry so early in their career inspires the notion that the Sahara Hotnights will have the staying power to appeal to many folks for a long time to come.

As female rock quartets go, the Donnas have recently received the majority of the media attention and FM radio spins as of late. While the merits of their success won't be debated in this review, the Sahara Hotnights are right on their heels and truthfully write the better songs of the two bands. Undoubtedly, it's because of the direction in which they have chosen to direct their thank you's and the subsequent elements they have chosen to include as their own that give this claim credence.

Rating: A

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© 2003 Chris Harlow and The Daily Vault. All rights reserved. Review or any portion may not be reproduced without written permission. Cover art is the intellectual property of Jetset Records, and is used for informational purposes only.