Picture credit: Sheva Kafai
Portents of red moons,flowers and cosmic symbols? Must be the new album from Death Valley Girls. The gals who once convinced Iggy Pop to do an Andy Warhol and eat a burger in their ‘Disaster’ video, are back, with a few changes to their winning formula, but it’s still recognisably them.
From the jagged psychedelic gospel of ‘Sing For Yourself’ to the mantric, autobiographical ‘How Everything I Lost In The Fire Taught Me To Love Myself’, the passion is still there, but it’s the funk jam ‘Fire And Brimstone’ which struts in a really surprising direction for them.And if ‘Life So Far’ is pure euphoria, ‘Plant Magic’ is face -melting garage rock that starts (naturally) with a choir. It’s pure rock ‘n’ roll catharsis.
Stooges-esque sax breakdowns and Bonnie Bloomgarden’s beguiling glam witchy vocals are still present and correct, especially in ‘Message From the Venus Flowers’ and their ricocheting guitars resonate loud and true on the playful ‘Basic Witch’ but it’s lovely to see them moving into new musical directions. The best bands have impeccable taste. They’ve done it again – another gorgeous big shot of vodka and coke- and it all seems so effortless.
Out via Suicide Squeeze on October 9th.
Hit The North 