Search - Ditty Twisters :: Vicodin Saturday Night

A Train Wreck of X and the B-52s

04/26/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've seen these guys live probably 15 times in and around the Portland area. While their disk certainly does the guitar-driven, female vocals-led group justice, they are even better live. The music is polished without that canned, poppy and "garagey" sound of a lot of local bands. The lyrics are whimsical and poignant relating humorously real-life stories and those just conconcted in the band members' heads. Marie's vocals remind me of Maria McKee (Lone Justice), and she almost shakes Joe Cocker-like when she's belting out a tune. Their cover (and they do mostly originals which I appreciate) of "Whole Lotta' Jose" convulses with energy. Finally, their stage presence is phenomenal -- internally and with the audience, they seem to really enjoy their music. At one gig I attended, they threw out ding-dongs and twinkies to the crowd. That the three female singers dress in pleather, bowling shirts, and baby doll t's is not a bad thing. I spent some formative years in Southern California and the DTs tear into that surf culture with a decidely trailer park (X) flair. I'm a fan."