Search - Tetes Noires :: Clay Foot Gods

80's Feminist Rock Band

06/10/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"On the off chance that anyone stumbles across this page, I'm happy to be the first to review Tetes Noires' lone CD; the female sextet were from Minneapolis, and I saw almost every performance from inception to demise. (They recorded a self-released EP and LP before signing to Rounder.) Beginning as a very minimalist, almost performance art project (no drummer, sparse use of guitar, occasional use of cheesy Casiotone or toy xylophone) the group was always held together by muscular bass, Farfisa organ and intricate vocal interplay. By the time of this CD, they had beefed up the production (by members of The Violent Femmes) and added a more standard guitar sound and a real kit drummer. The emphasis remains on the vocals of the six women - three of whom alternate lead - and quirky sonqwriting about relationships, religion and wet T-shirt contests (the latter on "Pour More Water On Her, George", the title of which is mangled above. Not as poppy as the Go-Go's, not as folky as The Roches, not as abrasive as The Raincoats, but fans of either group would probably find something to like here."