THOSE DARLINS – SCREWS GET LOOSE

Those Darlins’ sound is unmistakably drawn from The Ramones. That’s right kids, The Ramones were a band. Not  just a T-shirt. But rather than being a rip-off  Those Darlins seem more like an ode to. They seem to be well aware of their major influence. The three ladies of the four piece even have a matching surname, Darlin.  Not to be confused with a tribute, Those Darlins definitely have their own style and angle of attack. Musically it is not a reinvention of the wheel when it comes to instrumentation, skill or structure. But this just isn’t the point of this record. Written from a woman’s perspective without the usual lyric fodder of heartbreak or unattractiveness. It is a  feminist spirit with a tomboy twist. Cheeky and witty gags with pretty basic rhyming are just the right mix between gritty and funny. The lyrics are so refreshing. Not as dark as Mia Zapata’s The Gits or quite as serious or tough talking as Joan Jett. Those Darlins can however be mentioned in the same breath when it comes to woman rockers doing it the way they want, and creating quality.

***1/2