10

Proving it's not all girl talk, but hard rocking action!

The Donnas hardly need much of an introduction being one of the most credible all-female rock bands of recent times, churning out big rock anthems like an American AC/DC but with lady lumps!

Having formed in 1993 in junior high, The Donnas (who of course used to claim that all members were called Donna) have always successfully produced albums full of hard rock tracks, that although have simple arrangements, have the big beats and catchy melodies over the classic rock backbone that is a sure fire winning formula. I sometimes wonder why other bands have been unable to emulate this too?

Here in the single, 'Don't Wait Up For Me' we have the usual big beats but the guitars from Allison Robertson are chugging riffs dripping with nostalgia, and although it's been described as sounding like Def Leppard, I don't subscribe to this, as there aren't the sugary-sweet harmonies that you would associate with the lads from Sheffield, although the guitars do have that 80's feel to them. 'Don't Wait Up For Me' has a unique ability of both sounding like an 80's throwback anthem whilst not sounding embarrassing and like a hairspray-soaked parody.

The bonus here is that you get another two songs with this single, 'Better Off Dancing' and 'Girl Talk'. The former is more classic Donnas which is a fist pounding song with bigger beats and chunky riffs, whilst 'Girl Talk' has vocals that are spat out a little bit more with teenage-brat angst, and another fine example how music has come back in full circle from the 80's whereby the thrash/metal riffs are almost en vogue in the rock scene anyway.

The Donnas here sound a lot like Poison from their debut album, 'Look What The Cat Dragged In' from 1986, which was an album made of party songs with a rock'n'roll vibe and a touch of naïve trashyness thrown in for good measure, and not the watered down radio-friendly stuff that they evolved into. There is nothing dated about The Donnas, and this is a good move for a band that sometimes I feel can produce songs that are nearly really good, but that I feel they could have just done a little bit better. These tracks show that the band do have big balls, and ones that are polished and thrusts out proud for all to see. If you had any doubts about The Donnas, then these tracks will put them to rest! You go girls!