Screaming Females – Castle Talk

The name Screaming Females is a bit of a misnomer for this tuneful indie rock outfit, as one might expect some riot grrrl fury once the needle hits the wax. This proves not to be, as when Castle Talk kicks in it’s not quite in-yr-face Bikini Kill style, though they’re certainly never subdued.

Marissa Paternoster’s devil-may-care delivery somehow works wonders over her post-punk guitar leanings, but there’s still enough crunch in her licks to keep us fans of big, dumb rock interested. Just check the swagger of New Kid, stomping in with a fresh keg halfway through the LP when the party might otherwise have thinned out, lighting up the room like a Roman candle.

It should come as no surprise that this outfit was birthed from a basement-show scene in New Brunswick, New Jersey – the trio rarely relents throughout this satisfying album of straight-out-the-garage volatility. [Jason Morton]