Search - 7 YEAR BITCH :: Gato Negro

The history of my future

Erica Anderson | Minneapolis, MN | 06/09/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I miss the days when women in rock music weren't playing up to the cameras ala Pink or were pretending to be something they aren't (see Avril Lavigne). Back in the '90s when (I hate using this term immensely) 'grunge' exploded, bands from Seattle were getting signed left to right. One of my personal favorite bands at the time was 7 Year B***h. As usual, the major record label didn't know what to do with them in the end but the music the band put out was better than some of terrible music I was hearing at the time. "Gato Negro" is certainly a lot slicker than "Sick 'Em" was in terms of production value goes but the songs themselves were still the angry, raw, blundgeoning sounds that I have come to love from one of the best bands that came out of the northwest. Pink has nothing on Selene Vigil's ferocious growl. Valerie Agnew definitely reminded me of Babes in Toyland's Lori Barbero with her incredible drumming. All the songs on "Gato Negro" are great. I especially loved the first three tracks. They were edgy and fierce. Everything that women in rock tday aren't."

This is it, girls!

she_freak | Farmington, NM United States | 07/02/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Girls hungry for female empowerment and left unimpressed by Christina Aguilera: this is the real deal! This rates with Hole's Pretty on the Inside and Babes in Toyland's Fontanelle as a girl-grunge classic. Gato Negro opener "The History of My Future" arguably packs more power than anything on the above mentioned albums. Courtney Love fans (pre-nose jobs), you need this album!"

Great Instrumentals, Vocalist Needs Work

Erica Anderson | 06/02/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"At first, I found the lead singer of this band, Selene Vigil, to be increadably annoying. Her lack of melody greatly perturbed me. Perhaps this wouldn't have been so obnoxious if the instrumentalists weren't so damn good. The rhythm section as well as the guitarists are solid and innovative. After a while of listening to this album, the vocals became bearable, and sometimes invigorating. 7 Year Bitch is a step up from punk: they posess the rage but also include technical maturity and knowledge."