The Ettes: No Home EP
The Ettes: No Home EP
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Thursday, 25, Jun 2009 03:16
Root Records, out now.
In a nutshell...
Female-fronted LA garage rockers and friends of Kings of Leon
What's it all about?
Part studio EP, part live EP and consisting of four tracks (three and two tracks respectively of each for anyone wondering), this is the fourth release from the band that, according to LA Weekly, 'are it'.
Who's it by?>
The Ettes are a three-piece made up of Coco on guitar and vocals, Poni on drums and Jem on bass and vocals they hail from Los Angeles but all three were born and raised in New York before moving across the country and forming the band. They're trendy enough to feature on a Tarantino soundtrack but raw enough to appeal to fans of the genre.
As an example...
"I don't need to live/Very long, it's true/Just long enough/Just longer than you." - No Home
Likelihood of a trip to the Grammys
Unlikely without the help from the aforementioned film maestro to propel them into the public eye but they probably wouldn't care anyway, being punks and all.
What the others say
"The Ettes are it." - LA Weekly
"This beat-punk band oozes sexual energy." - Nylon Magazine
"Loud and danceable garage rock." - ARTROCKER
So is it any good?
With the raw, pounding energy of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club or the Cramps evident in both the live and recorded tracks, the band are not short on passion, but the song-riting itself feels a little repetitive and the lyrics are unimaginative, focusing more on style than substance.
There are some great songs on offer and after the slightly disappointing opener, No Home, things immediately pick up. Track two, Lo And Behold sounds like a cross between the urgent punk style of the Ramones or the Donnas mixed with a more poppy edge akin to 90s Canadian she-punks, Tuuli. Also, at just 2:36, it's just short enough to be a proper punk-rock anthem.
Subject, the third and final studio recording on the EP is another step up launching straight into an urgent, disjointed riff before turning it up another notch and returning to a Donnas-esque style through the verses. Although a bigger song than the preceding two tracks, Subject still lacks a particularly chorus with the riff serving as the only really memorable part of the song.
The two live tracks that finish off the EP, The Rules and I Heard Tell respectively are not really my cup of tea. I've never been too big on live albums and find it somewhat contrived to release essentially collector's material without the notoriety and fan-base to warrant it. There's nothing really wrong with either of the tracks, the recordings are alright but the crowd's muted response following the closing track pretty much sums up my feeling about the decision to use them...
Overall a solid release from a band that clearly have something to offer and with the right push could got quite far - come on Quentin, get involved...
6/10
Rob Hurst