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Le Tigre

Le Tigre - Le Tigre Audio CD

A fair review of the Le Tigre "Le Tigre" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Le Tigre reviews here, or go back to the Le Tigre tabs.

Band: Le Tigre
Title: Le Tigre
Rating:

Release Date: 1999-11-30
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Deceptacon 2: Hot Topic 3: What's Yr Take on Cassavetes 4: The Empty 5: Phanta 6: Eau d'Bedroom Dancing 7: Let's Run 8: My My Metrocard 9: Friendship Station 10: Slideshow at Free University 11: Dude, Yr So Crazy! 12: Les and Ray

Who took the Ram from the Ramalamadingdong?
Julie Ruin was hardly an improvement for Hanna. Bikini Kill was not, dare I say, a good band. So what happened in those 12 months when she decided to form Le Tigre with her two friends? The band sounds atypical for Hanna in more than one way: it sounds accessible and flirts well with the pop sentiments. The debut of the band uses those two strengths and seems to be Hanna's most recognizable work. It's no wonder--"Deceptacon", the record opener, starts this endeavor with the strongest riff of Hanna's career. It also turns heads with lyrics such as "wanna disco? wanna see me disco?". Complete with a steady, rocking beat, the song makes for a perfect entrance into the album.

You'd expect them to drop the ball right away, but surprisingly, they don't. Things continue strongly with "Hot Topic" and "Whats Yr Take on Cassavetes"--the former namedropping all the idols of the band (Yoko Ono, Billy Tipton, Sleater-Kinney and Cibo Matto are some of the people who get the spotlight in the song) with the delicious hook and the latter representing a forum of sorts for the girls to discuss the famous filmmaker ("Misogynist!", "Alcoholic!", "Genius!", "Messiah!"). "All that glitters is not gold" is the message of "The The Empty" which sums up the instrumental modus operandi of the band (syncopated beats and lo-fi guitar jams).

Not all the moves on the record are the right ones: "Phanta", "Eau D'Bedroom Dancing" and "Friendship Station" don't do much for me, while "Les and Ray" should have been left off. Still, the strong points of the record more than make up for the weaker ones. Check out the amazing "My My Metrocard" where they discuss Giuliani and possibly their favorite stops (Christopher Street? Atlantic Avenue? anyone?). When they experiment a bit, things turn out to be excellent too. They don't even need their own voices in "Slideshow at Free University", an absolute standout in which they quote Mark Rothko and Adolph Gottlieb. Similar to that track is "Dude. Yr So Crazy!" where the girls play with the method of free associations (Retro Porn? Hawaiian Shirt? anyone?).

Overall, "Le Tigre" is a satisfying effort. The girls are talented and things only went "uphill" from here. It serves as a statement of sorts for everyone who might have dismissed Kathleen Hanna as an annoying gal (funnily enough, this was my first Hanna experience, and it stunned me how it remains more ambitious and melodic than the rest of her career). She proved to be far more endearing when her status as a riot grrrl pioneer got eaten by history. Needless to say, she's no less catty or political, but the pop accessibility she's provided us with this time is far more compelling than anything she's done before.

They're sooo Devo!
It's a fun, light record that has a go at social commentary and makes a few successful jabs. These women are carrying on the artistic sensibilities originally brought to us by Mark Mothersbaugh et al (Devo). It is half full of infectious hooks and all full of fun. Buy this Le Tigre record first, it might be the only one you need. And check out Devo if you don't already know them, at least for context.

Dude don't tell anyone...
I was like "whoa. Okay brah, so like I was at the beach the other day, you know checkin' the beach hunnies and dude all the sudden I heard some crazy sound. . . " I mean I heard nothing like it, I ended up dancing with these dudes and we tottally just got down with the music. Then I heard it was Le Tigre and I was "no way!" I mean I heard so much. . . brah listen. . . I heard a bit about them on the message board, ya know brah (dude tottally bashed some newb on it) and dude, so I was dancing not caring and I just wanna bump and grind with a hottie. So brah, the dude who brought the stereo is all like "guys, I really gotta go. . . " and I was like "naw brah! Where can I find this cd?" The dude had a little mustache and he wore short swimming trunks, he looked like such a fruit brah! So dude was like "ummm. . . the internet. " I was all like "what store is that? I haven't heard of it. " He just looked at me and handed me the cd saying "dude, you are misguided, luckily I own 3 of these in such cases. " So I get home dude and I put this in my stereo and I was like "whoa. . . whoa. . . this is kinda fruity. " So yeah I love this but don't tell the dudes. . . Hey how come you haven't been on the message board lately bro? I mean we miss you, dudes always saying "wheres MyChemicalBro22?" Dude I can't cover for you forever, if you don't start posting again everyone will think your a noob! Dude I bet girls dig a dude that listens to Le Tigre. I wish I could listen to music when we surf, I'd tottally listen to this. Remeber that day we were playing Beach Volleyball and we didn't have shirts on cause we were skins and we tottally one that clincher and hugged eachother but then felt gay, that's kinda like what this record is like. Brah gotta go, high tide. . .
-MyChemicalBro21.

Cheesy fun
Appearently, *the* riot girl and her band mates were trying to do a weird electronic record, with intentional use of bad synths and dated early 80's sound effects that are reminiscent of those funny songs you like even if you know they aren't good at all. Le Tigre can be a very cool act, but its output is not nearly as good as Bikini Kill's, Kathleen Hannah's previous band. The results vary in quality. First single ''Hot Topic'' is not the piece of art of a wordsmith, but it's damn catchy! ''Deceptacon'' is sure fun at your next party, and the angry ''The The Empty'' is no more than a so-so song with valid reflexions about posers. But some posers, specially the ones who hype this and other bands with absolutelly no criteria to evaluate their music, are the only ones who could enjoy the silly cuts ''Friendship Station'' and ''Fanta'' and the totally disposable ''What's yr Take on Cassavettes''. Despite of its inconsistency, the intentionally trashy & cheesy style of this album can still make you shake and smile sometimes. The same cannot be said about their future lousy records. .

Makes u think and dance
Eau d' Bedroom Dancing is beautiful and catchy, My My Metrocard is the ultimate electro-eclectic song, that can't help tossing off a bit of non-conformism but is still catchy as hell, Deceptacon is Le Tigre's epic song, and perhaps Kathleen's best ever ( now i'm just rambling am I not?), Phanta has a futuristic animeish feel to it, Whats Yr Take On Cassavettes is a brilliant comment, and Dude Yr So Crazy! refers to the music scene of America. Le Tigre is a one-of-a-kind band, and buying this CD is something you simply can't regret! They blend political lyrics, electronic, punk, pop, spoken word and a multimedia feel thats simply irresistable. Buy it, BUY IT! Few times have I experienced something this cool.

reviewer above me: u must share the band's ideology to understand Le Tigre. if u don't, all it will surely sound like to you is *cheesy bad 80s music*. the fact that you dislike it, doesn't make the ones who do, posers.

You can see a complete list of all Le Tigre discography, or go back to the Le Tigre tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.