The Soviettes
"LP III"
Fat Wreck Chords

The best punk albums I’ve heard in a long time. This quartet of Minnesotan ladies (ok, there is one guy, but he’s the drummer and is the only one who doesn’t sing… that I’m aware of), have assembled a really great punk band that you all need to get to know, now. Stylistically, this is pure Ramones/Dickies influenced punk rock. The 3 gals in the group (Annie, Sturgeon and Suzy) all share the singing duties, resulting in some pretty kick ass vocal layers. They managed to have that Fat Wreck Chords sound (to which they just signed) but avoid sounding like every other Fat band.

Usually, I’ll bitch and moan for hours if an album is too short. But in this case, the short album is perfect (it has 14 songs and clocks in at under 29 minutes). Punk rock songs are supposed to be short. Let me go on to WHY I think time is so important. A great band can easily put out an album of great songs that just goes on too long, ruining what would have been a great album. The Soviettes reached that great place where you’ve heard enough of a good thing, and they stop the album right where it should stop. HUZZAH to the Soviettes!

Ok, so I love the vocals, I love the fast power punk songs, and I love the guitars. Now for the bad stuff. The lyrics ain’t too great. Generic things are covered here, in very generic ways. You’ve been warned. Don’t put on this disk expecting to experience huge bouts of catharsis. BUT, if you want to just rock out to some great punk rock, then this is the disc to get.


Reviewed by: Josh Goldfarb
Reviewed on: June 20, 2005