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21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
If anything is "girl power", Bif Naked swims in it., 21 Oct 2002
Ok ok, so using the term girl power may give you horrid flashbacks to the whiney voiced Spice Girls. Bif Naked is an example of raw womanhood, and strength."Purge" is so named after a long spirtual cleaning of the singer, Bif Naked (real name is Beth Hopkins), and it shows within the music. "Choking on the truth" opens Purge with a stream of guitars and powerful vocals, all refering to Bif running and hiding from a bombshell which has been made. From there we go to "Tango Shoes" which is a metaphor of love, as "it takes two to tango" and she "dances" away from her lover. As in the line: "My new tango shoes, they are my treasure, they are so cool. My new tango shoes are gonna help me dance away from you.. you told me you loved me.. that wasn't true.. now that we're over.. this dance is for you". Although the lyrics aren't quite the "norm", they are sung with great effect and realism, that you're too absorbed in the sound to really care. Leading on from there, is the power balled "I love myself today". Basically, there isn't a power trip quite like it. Another burst of electric guitars, and Bif's strong voice make for an uplifting track, which, in the end, leaves you with a positive glow inside. Bif's aim is to give comfort in music, and she handles it delicately well. The overall sound of the album is that of a rock / pop / punk sound. If anything, she's Shirley Manson's older sister, on a heavy stout of PMS. She has a raw opinion, and although handles the punkier, rockier tracks, she handles the more delicate songs really well. With lyrics such as "I am a junkie, I am a whore.. that's what you always call me.." it's a very confessional and emotional packed album. There are a few ballads, which, in their own right are catchy - sadness and comfort can be addictive in music. But mostly, the album is made up of strong, powerful and electric guitar driven tracks. There's even a song dedicated to her "psychopath - crazy - sadsack stalker", in which she pummels out a hard hitting edge of choruses. "I'm not yours or anyones, I don't even own myself.. why do you always watch me? I just wanna be by myself.. GET OFF OF ME, AWAY FROM ME, I'M NO LEADER.." but don't let the hard rock chick exterior fool you - her sensitivity come out in the more sophomore songs, and her booklet is filled with interesting opinions and thoughts of hers. Not to mention, her lyrics. Bif campaigns that "violence lies" and that she fights for peace and equality, and this album is a great sense of it. If only the UK market gave her a good look at, she wouldn't be in the shadows. Even so - Bif has her own label to market herself properly, she isn't manufactured enough to crash onto our shores, sadly enough. If you thought Pink was "all that" with the attitude and confessional lyrics, you ain't seen nothing yet. She's Bif.. she ain't naked, but she's one damn fine chick. This is what the the music scene really needs - great music; great lyrics; great artist, with no shred of manufactured choruses or hooks to a market of teenyboppers. Give the samples a listen, they'll do the album justice, and enjoy one of the best purchases you'll ever make.
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