Le Tigre makes some the funnest records around. Their 1999 debut album is bursting with so much punk pop power, it hurts me in the sto-mack. It’s what 80s new wave should have turned into before it sputtered out. “Deceptacon”, which later gained fame as a DFA remix, is so damn cool: yelling like a mofo, wicked smart fuzzy bassline, and a chorus for the ages. Is it possible that these girls are so cool? Someone put “Dancing” on a mixtape for me, and it’s been molded into my brain as a comfort spot. Kathleen’s vocals are so perfect, and the backing luscious, real luscious. Kathleen is known to shun dudes to the back of the room during shows, but who can blame the dudes when she gets loose on tracks like “Let’s Run”? P-Love has been known to jack a Le Tigre beat once in a while, check out “Friendship Station” for another possibility. 12 tracks in all.

• black vinyl pressing
• high-quality UK import
• includes printed insert
• original release year: 1999
• music label: Wiiija Records 2015

reviewed by the mgmnt 10/2005