Debut album for Adelaide all grrrl punk quintet She’s The Band. 28 minutes of beer soaked punk rock for fans of Babes In Toyland, Hole, Strike Anywhere, Bikini Kill. facebook.com/shestheband
Pressing:
500 x Digipak CDs
REVIEWS:
PunkRockTheory.com [Belgium]
SHE’S THE BAND – One From The Top Shelf
Storming out the gates with the thrashy “All The While”, the all grrrl punk quintet that is She’s The Band immediately wants to be clear about the fact that they are not the kind of girls you want to mess with (not that you should mess with any other girls). Remember Babes In Toyland? I’m sure these girls do and I’m fairly convinced they’ve heard of Hole and Bikini Kill as well. What sets them apart from their influences is the fact that they’ve incorporated a piano in almost all of the songs, sometimes mixed under the guitars and crashing drums ever so subtly or all the way in the front in songs like “Undertone” and “Did I Forget”. Other than the piano, there are not too many subtleties to be found on “One From The Top Shelf”… these girls are out to rip your face off and already wrote the soundtrack to go with it. They even incorporated some slower, more ominous parts for when they’re creeping up on you. Good stuff!
Rating: 7.0 out of 10 – Reviewed by Thomas
musicsa
SHE’S THE BAND – One From The Top Shelf
What can I say, these girls pack a punch! A distinctive blend of female unity combined with high energy and loads of personality brings together ‘She’s the Band’. Individually these girls are no stranger to the music scene and can also be heard in Hightime, Miss Golly Gosh and Star Ten Hash. Their debut album ‘One From The Top Shelf’ showcases not only a large amount of talent but also brings a refreshing new edge to the punk rock genre. At a glance, the album cover gave the impression that it was going to inject a different flavour of punk music and whilst staying true to their punk roots, there was a definite distinction that this band brings something different. The girls also must be commended for their ability to introduce both post and progressive rock to their sound which I think really works well. Although the vocals are conveyed in true punk style if you listen carefully you can hear the hard hitting poetry. Elsha being the primary vocalist ensures the punk flavoured is truly identified, with the addition of Megs on vocals and keys captures the attention of the listener and throws them into a different mindset. Nina, Hanky and Amy effortlessly showcase their ability to produce a sound which is really where the album came to life for me. The softer rock tones in ‘Begin To Think’ shows a different side to the girls, not to mention the keys in ‘Did I Forget’ which demonstrates just how talented this group is. ‘Free Riot’ is another track that should be highlighted purely for its guitar riffs and melodic keys. This album without a doubt exudes passion, anguish and straight out punk and classic rock.
Rating: 4/5 Stars – Reviewed by Shanelle Franklin
Ox-Fanzine #110 [Germany]
SHE’S THE BAND – One From The Top Shelf
I like hardcore, in which you still understand the lyrics and in which there is such a thing as a melody. GOOD CLEAN FUN for example. SHE’S THE BAND do just that, and that means the text is practical, because they are great: “You must watch too much Disney / It’s filling up your head / Fuck forever after Romeo and Juliet are dead” (“Under-tone “) here is yelling against fascism, railed against sexist stereotypes and Kackscheiße be punished and the anger boils and bubbles, it is a joy. I have long been no more tape so vehemently agreed in what they are because of themselves, and can not wait to see SHE’S THE BAND live.
Rating: 9/10 – Review by: Julia Brummert
4ZZZ FM
SHE’S THE BAND – One From The Top Shelf
When the label on the packet says punk / prog. you probably misread it, right? Not this time. Adelaide’s She’s The Band make blistering, female fronted hardcore (a-la Babes In Toyland) …with piano interludes … SMASH THE JOINT!!! Not one for purists, maybe, but a breath of fresh air for the more adventurous. Prog-rock rhythmic and harmonic experimentation sneaks all over the place and make this record brilliant. Review by: Chris Cobcroft
Kill Your Stereo
SHE’S THE BAND – One From The Top Shelf
She’s The Band are somewhat of an Adelaide super-group made up of a selection of other bands including Hightime, Miss Golly Gosh and Star Ten Hash. As all of these listed are punk bands it makes sense that She’s The Band would be one as well, and while there are certainly strong punk influences rampant throughout debut ‘One From The Top Shelf,’ the highlight is the injection of post and progressive rock that cuts in every now and then. Take for example the low toned drawl of opening track ‘All The While’ complete with a bitter poem questioning self worth that is a pretty full on way to start things off. This perhaps makes the lighter rock tones of next track, ‘Begin To Think’, either more or less effective. It’s hard to say as the mood changes of this record will keep you on your feet. While the vocals are delivered with plenty of passion and angst, the music often outshines them based purely on the fact there is so much going on. This could be why the band opted for ‘Slick Rick’ to be a mainly instrumental track. One thing that sets this group’s sound apart from many others is the use of the piano, which is written into the songs in such a way that brings a serious yet classy tone, playing off the harsh guitars and thumping drums perfectly. ‘Did I Forget’ puts the piano in the forefront and makes some sort of punk/lounge jazz fusion that is theatrical and awesome, while the vocal line screams “I don’t remember breaking a fucking mirror.” The record ends sooner than you would probably like by this point with the classic rock sounding ‘Free Riot’, driven by heavy swaying piano and guitar riffs making another album highlight before the slow bass introduction to final song, ‘Top Shelf’, opens up into a fast paced punk number channelling a little Bikini Kill. She’s The Band have seamlessly melded influences of punk, prog, jazz, and classic rock on their debut.
Summary: All the rocks in one. CONCLUSION: ‘One From The Top Shelf’ is unlike anything else. The band have tapped into something quite unique, let’s hope they continue to push the boundaries even further.
Rating: 90 – Review by: Luke C
RELEASE DATE:
02 Aug 2013
Also Available From:
CREDITS:
CAT #: PCD057
Recorded & Mixed by: Micah Leinonen
Artwork by: Anto Dal Santo
