Review of "Violent Femmes"

Violent Femmes

Rock

Milwaukee, WI

http://www.vfemmes.com

the Cheese State's finest folk-rockers, and they're *guys*

the Cheese State's finest folk-rockers, and they're *guys*

Gordon Gano & Brian Ritchie (w/ assorted guest musicians and drummers) have made a career out of teen angst. this isn't a bad thing. Ethan Hawke covered "add it up" in Reality Bites. the Femmes are a cult classic, harkening back to the early-mid '80s... a time before "bitches and hos", before "really big hair", a time when jeans were tight and shirts were loose.
to quote the beginning of the Add It Up CD (their 1991 retrospective/greatest hits): "the Violent Femmes... they bring all their equipment on the bus. and you can't fuck with the Violent Femmes. you cannot fuck with this band!"
fruvous related stuff: odd lyrics & instrumentation (when's the last time you saw a conch shell on stage?), Fruvous opened for the Femmes at Irving Plaza, NYC, NY, and they also have a weird name.
-snonsumr

They are their own thing. :-)

The Violent Femmes are just one of those bands you have to like. It doesn't matter if you're a teeny-bopper, a metal head, a classical music fan, or anything. You like VF. Plus, imagining adolecent Fruvous members sitting around listening to "Blister In The Sun" is a very fun image!

guys _and_ born-again christians. who knew?

one of my favorites here. i never understand how such a boring state can continue to produce such cool people, but i don't understand calculus or gravity or anything else important either, so really. get their self-titled. all your unrequited love frustration will be spoken back to you.

i like american music

Do you like American music? Hehe. They still put on a great show. And have cute roadies.

from acoustic punk to alternative rock, all good

some of the songs may sound a bit cheesy or high schoolish, but, well.... a lot of them were written when Gordon Gano was in high school... go figure. I think that's part of the charm. they'll always be immature teenagers, but they're immature teenagers who make good music. :)

Gordon... the only other one besides Sadam who could sing I Can Change

I remember being in fifth grade and my sister handing me a tape with VF songs on it... I listened to it over and over... now, 14 years later and the tape is warped beyond belief. Had to actually buy the CDs a few years back... A little warped are the lyrics themselves, but in that way that only Gordon can make the warped sound almost normal.

I can't peg why I love 'em, but I just DO

Violent Femmes kick ass in a big way. Their songs make it imperative that you dance and/or sing REALLY LOUDLY. Go Wisconsin! I swear, there's something in the water there that makes awesome musicians. Check out the new live disc...it rocks.

I love these guys!!!

With all respect to the lads, Violent Femmes are my most favorite band EVER. Similar to the lads in that they were categorized a very long time ago, yet they've far gone past that initial categorization and 'round back a few times. The best album, bar none, is Hallowed Ground. Probably the most difficult to find as well. I hear the rain, I hear the rain, I hear the rain, gotta' kill the pain.

The reason I listen to 'BRU's Retro Lunch every chance I get.

For me, the Femmes will always conjure up driving around on a sunny late afternoon with the widnows rolled down, with a carload of drama nerds singing at the top of their lungs. I think that knowing all the lyrics to all the songs on "Add It Up" is a requirement for college entrance.

The ultimate in college party music...ok, it was when I was in college anyway. Angst at its best!

love, love, love, love the violent femmes

An acquired taste

While I love everything the Femmes have done (possible exception of The Blind Leading The Naked), The Femmes are definitely something you have to learn to like. Gordon Gano's voice can be a bit grating. Try out their self-titled release.

Hell Yeah

The self-titled album is the best... this music will never get old, always be cool.