Le Tigre Album: “This Island [Import Bonus Track]”

This is Le Tigre's first album with a major label (Universal). As such, it will not sound the same as their previous albums, but this one reflects their desire to reach a larger audience. (And what good activist wouldn't want to do that?) I, like many others, was at first turned off by the more polished sound of this album, but after giving it some time and a second listen, I really dig it. The concept of "electronic feminist punk" is as revolutionary as the ideas Hanna, Fateman, and Samson are expressing, and, I have to admit, that sound is better achieved on this album than on any of their previous, as close as Feminist Sweepstakes, self-titled, and From the Desk of Mr. Lady may be to my heart.

Where to start? I've been listening to Le Tigre for several years now and am a fan of Bikini Kill and all the rest. I've always liked Le Tigre's new take on feminist music; atypically sassy but matches intensity with the rest of them. Good stuff.

I don't have a problem with the production like others do. It's slick and that's great. I've never been of the school that seems to decree that simpler is always better. It's high-quality and they were able to push the limits of creativity with all the cash that befell them once they went major label. The low-fi-ness is no longer a crutch for credibility. So in that sense, they probably had to work harder to make a great album.

Unfortunately, that seems to be the real problem here. They seemed to have worked so hard on everything else, they forgot to write good songs. The songs lack soul, which is what I think was Le Tigre's greatest asset. The best of the album is their single, TKO, which is nothing more than a retread of their other anathematic masterpieces on S/T and Feminist Sweepstakes. So they came up with something great, unfortunately, it's the same song they wrote three times before. I first heard JD's little opus live and thought it was slightly annoying, but a groovy tune nonetheless. And again, one of the better songs on This Island is only average compared to the works of art they put out on their two previous full-length albums. I'm So Excited is sort of funny. Reminds my husband and I of when the girls from Saved By the Bell started a group and Jesse was really stressed and on drugs. They sang the same song in the locker room at school and Le Tigre's rendition sounds strikingly similar on the album.

Some of the songs are downright awful. Nanny Nanny Boo Boo sounds like something that a weak, local imitation of Le Tigre would have come up with in 1998. Seriously, that was the best they could come up with? The chorus is reminiscent of the pseudo-feminist crap that we all put up with years ago. And as hard as I try, I just can't wrap my head around Don't Drink Poison. I'm wondering if it's supposed to be "fun" or something. It reads like bad poetry. Further, in principal, I support such a blatantly anti-war message as New Kicks projects, but in practice it just comes off as lazy. They could have come up with so much more new politic (given the current climate) in songwriting than they actually produced here.

In general, the album sounds pretty good but it really lacks intensity and innovation. I'm not ready to give up on them, though. I think they had more money than they knew what to do with and perhaps misdirected it. I hope their next major label effort is generally more focused.

If you are looking for music that you can mindlessly bob your head to without truly wanting to understand the talent these women have for creating fun, smart beats and even better lyrics with an incredibly important message, this album may not be for you. The music created by Le Tigre is fun and campy, which could easily be mistaken for corny before taking a minute to listen to the lyrics and understand the feeling and importance behind each song. These women are not trying to make mindless songs to pander to the mtv crowd. listen to their music, read their lyrics. They have an amazing talent for conveying the important message about the treatment of women in society without taking themselves too seriously. Strong women with a great sense of humor and incredible musical talent, every Le Tigre album is worth purchasing and listening to over and over.

What a fantastic cd! I hadn't heard of Le Tigre, (...) The addictive and upbeat 'TKO ' and the cover of the

80's-tastic song 'I'm So Excited' are alone work buying this cd for. Plenty of stand out tracks on this album, and the more times I listen to it, the more I enjoy it. You won't be dissapointed, just click on 'add to cart'. There you go grrrl, you are all set.

I bought Le Tigre on a whim. I have never heard any of their music. Someone told me that they were "feminist punk". So, me not being a fan of any kind of punk, I shrugged off the chance to listen. I can now say, "I made a huge mistake!" This Island is complete fun! It's irreverent and silly of course but it's definitly the type of music that's sure to bob your head and whistle. The majority of the tracks are short but if you're a fan, like I am, of short and sweet music, this will definitly benifit you.

Notable tracks:

"On the Verge" is terrific! It's a great appetizer with loud big guitars that sound like a car engine being reved up.

"Don't Drink Poison" has a great guitar and bass riff. It's fast and furious!

"Nanny Nanny Boo Boo" is completely unecessary and silly but I LOVE LOVE LOVE this song! It's poppy and a great dance song.

"TKO" sounds more like a rock song and doesn't fail.

"VIZ" is probably my favorite song! Great chorus to sing along too and completely catchy.

"This Island" isprobably my favorite song. It sounds more punk and more dance and more rock. Great guitars and electro sounds.

We've got to give these girls some credit. This Island sure is a whole lot better than what's out there today. Just give it a try. You may not love it but there's bound to be something on here that's at least likable.