Search - Bikini Kill :: Pussy Whipped

Punk is Not Dead

Hapworth | Palma de Mallorca, Spain | 08/15/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"First off, as a male reviewer I have to admit that I don't even feel comfortable sharing my opinion. One of the things that makes Bikini Kill such a brilliant band is the fact that they probably wouldn't even trust my opinions (darned right they shouldn't! ). Yes, as a male I can offer praise and encourage people to buy this fine record, but Kathleen Hanna and company would almost certainly dismiss my praise completely or at least highly distrust it. Like other female rockers who followed in Bikini Kill's wake, Hanna sings openly and honestly about the world she lives in. She knows, for instance, that no matter how much critical acclaim she receives from male reviewers, males simply cannot divorce female artistry from female sexuality. Every male (and those who claim otherwise are lying, myself included) may value and truly admire what Bikini Kill is contributing, but at the same time every male is also thinking, "Boy, that Hanna sure is angry, but she's also kinda cute." Hanna is no dupe, though, and not only is she hyperaware of this hypocrasy (as was Liz Phair on her record Exile in Guyville) she actually sings about it and seeks to expose it.From the outset, then, P-whipped announces that this album is not for the tepid or the weak. Yes, this is hardcore punk, but it's punk like we've never heard before. Whipped challenges its listeners (particularly its male listeners) to handle the screeching vocals, the guttural growls, the raw lyrics. Whipped is the musical equivalent of feminist "ecriture" (I knew my French would come in handy someday). The vocals serve as a good example. Hanna will gurgle and bellow (sounds that are typically UN-feminine); she'll screech at the top of her lungs like an elementary school girl on the playground (a sound that, like nails on a chalkboard, makes males wince in annoyance--which, of course, is the point); she'll sing coyly in mock, sex-doll "I-know-what-you-want-baby" come-ons; and when all else fails, she simply sings as if her life depended upon it.The songs are also varied and top-notch. Rebel Girl is every bit an anthem as Anarchy in the U.K. Star-Bellied Boy is chilling in its drawing upon the innocence of youth (Star-Bellied, of course, is a reference to Dr. Seuss) to make a statemnt about male victimization of women. Finally, in true punk form, the entire album clocks in at around thirty minutes, ending with the song For Tammy Rae, a song which proves that Bikini Kill can be as tuneful as they wanna be."

Pussywhipped

the_riot_dyke | raleigh | 03/05/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"While all of the Bikini Kill CDs are masterpieces, none explore the female psyche so delicately as "Pussywhipped." The first two records were young and snotty and had a message, "The Singles" was tight and effective, and "Reject All American" carried feminism to a more melodic yet still highly emotional place. It is "Pussywhipped" that is the darkest, the rawest, the scariest place in Kathleen Hanna's mind. While it shares all the clever lyrics of the other albums, songs like "Sugar," "Lil Red" and most of all "Star-Bellied Boy" take "Suck My Left One" to a more personal place. This is not to say that "Pussywhipped" is no fun, because it is. Kathleen Hanna is so animated despite her pain that it is difficult not to enjoy Bikini Kill's music even if yr appreciation is based solely on the sound of her voice, and the girl friendship anthem "For Tammy Rae" is so sweet that it almost seems to erase the painful memories dredged up by earlier songs. And while little known, "Starfish" is one of the most eloquently understated anthems of survival ever written. Buy it right now."

Wow

Paul H. | USA | 05/10/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Brutal doesn't even begin to describe the impact of Pussy-Whipped. The waves of distortion, screaming, and non-stop feedback never let up until the final song "For Tammy Rae," a slow, subdued, but no less stunning song. This is one of those albums that made punk rock vital again. It's no b.s.: loud, raw, three-chords, angry, and meaningful. The production is much improved from their previous singles, and it creates an assualt on the senses; think Black Flag's Damaged times ten (that's not to say that this sounds like Black Flag). It's a shame Bikini Kill are no more, and I would have loved to have seen them live. But Pussy-Whipped is an excellent document of this great band. Try "Blood One," "Rebel Girl," and "Tell Me So.""