Rating:
Genre:
Rock
Release Date: 08/20/2002
The Violent Femmes'
punk-pop underground sound gave combative nobodies a voice in the '80s and '90s, thanks to
Gordon Gano's playful twist on teen angst and panting sexual frustration. Two decades later,
Gano was still the
indie-rock artisan when he made his solo debut with
Hitting the Ground.
Gano's selection of songs were exclusively written for some of his heroes, not to mention some of
indie-rock's finest like
They Might Be Giants,
Frank Black, and
Mary Lou Lord.
Hitting the Ground is flat-out clever, cool, and cocky. Cymbals and two-tone percussion shimmy and shake on the album title track.
PJ Harvey is an uncanny match for
Gano, for her wicked vocal stomp and distorted guitar work on this
surf-styled number is equally fiery to his own sarcastic rendition. His frenzied
punk howl of
"Make It Happen" sticks with the winning formula, too. Ex-
4 Non Blondes frontwoman
Linda Perry carries the lovelorn
torch song "So It Goes" beautifully, while
John Cale remains unruffled on the piano-driven
lounge cut
"Don't Pretend." Gano's songwriting on these particular songs hit to the core of what we're all afraid to notice: Life sucks sometimes. He's always been painfully honest, whether he's been funny or crass about it. The funky
"Catch 'Em in the Act" is classic
Gano, with sexy, self-explanatory lyrics of male sexual adventure.
Lou Reed's
blues-tinged jams and sleek vocals point a finger at the paternal side of things, but humorously so. More than anything, it seems that
Gordon Gano just wants to have fun. He's obviously had a blast with
the Violent Femmes, but takes things in a personal direction on
Hitting the Ground. What took him so long? That doesn't matter.
Hitting the Ground is up to expectation and longtime
Femmes fans shouldn't be surprised.
~MacKenzie Wilson, All Music Guide
;)
Listen
