VIOLET
YOU’RE A WOMAN, I’M A MACHINE DEATH FROM ABOVE 1979
What we have here is a balls-out party album; if you have any illusions of it being anything else, you already don’t get the point. This duo plays heavy party punk music loud, and then louder, and only with a bass guitar and drums.
Comparisons to The White Stripes are inevitable, so let’s get this out of the way right away: The White Stripe’s single “Blue Orchid” does sound a bit like DFA’s “Romantic Rights,” and they do play radio friendly, densely stacked, arena sized music despite their relative lack of band members. They can better be compared with No Age in terms of influence, DIY approach and crunchy, powerful sound. Except, No Age’s sound is smothering, whereas DFA’s is rhythmic. The point is that there are comparisons, but DFA is always something else.
As a party album, it definitely does not fail. From “Turn it Out” all the way to “Sexy Results,” you’ll probably be jumping around, certainly be banging your head, and possibly winded by the thick, no bull****, Thrash-sounding bass guitar. There are slightly more subdued moments in the album, namely the end segment of “Blood on our Hands” and the relatively slower “Black History Month,” but being smack in the middle, these moments work great as breaks between the first half and latter half of the album.
“Serious listens” will depend entirely on how great an achievement you believe the bass guitar as Thrash guitar is, or if you need a dose of unfiltered musical power. In any case, if you can get your hands on the album, do listen to it. This is the last album by DFA, as the duo have since split to create two completely different kinds of music.
ROMANTIC RIGHTS
7.8