She Wants Revenge...

The latest buzz behind the band She Wants Revenge...
and their eponymous debut is an example of the latest tendency in the media to define, restrict and categorize with accusations anything which the poor, unsuspecting listener might believe is different. This San Fernando Based duo (Justin Warfield and Adam Bravin) have released an excellent debut. What becomes of them and their future exploits is yet to be seen. However, this release is fundamentally sound and there are no noticeably weak tracks outside of maybe the first one, "Red Flags and Long Nights." Their press though is disgustingly predictable, comparisons are constantly being made to Joy Division (New Order), Bauhaus, and early Depeche Mode. As if to call out the band in some sort of conspiracy to claim their "sound" as unique. See Panic! At the Disco, reviews as another example of this type of call out. To the actual comment itself, if you mean having hard driving slightly-ominous bass chords and synthesized instrumentals behind a strangely disconnected, slightly tinny yet melodic voice singing retro post-punk Goth 101 lyrics, then yes, they sound like Joy Division or Bauhaus. But to the degree that this should be taken as a meaningful comment is suspect. If you do like those bands, than I imagine that you will, in fact, like She Wants Revenge, but even if you don't and moreover if you have never even heard of these bands (listen to music before you were born people...) you may think this band has something to offer. Part of the irony of She Wants Revenge especially as regards their press is that they are so thoroughly aware of their predecessors. For example, their name "She Wants Revenge..." is probably a fawning homage to New Order-Peter Hook's side project which was called "Revenge." Moreover, their first single, "Tear You Apart" is probably a reference to Ian Curtis' much loved "Love Will Tear Us Apart." However, The video to this first single is thoroughly contemporary and facetiously so at that. Directed by Joaquin Phoenix, it is an uber-Drama, full of lipsticked pseudo-goths running around narrow streets and dark clubs wearing clothes from a bizzaro-Salvation Army store, it even has subtitles-English subtitles (trey arthouse). But I think the Amazon review has it right, it is so blatantly borrowed so clearly derivative-that it has to be intentional and ironic. For the reviewers and pundits (myself included perhaps) that don't see that are missing the point. I think the only way that "She Wants Revenge..." is fooling people is how good they really are.