Customer Reviews

Are You Man Enough

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I had no idea....It's been so long since a new band has been fearless and original. Betty Blowtorch is The Runaways, KISS, L7, AC/DC, Go-Gos' (on one track, anyway), Guns n Roses, and any other band you may love all in one. They're actually like 2 different bands sometimes. Two of the bands' members share lead vocals, and one is the rock priestess, sampling off of Donita Sparks, Paul Stanley, Joan Jett, Axl, etc...And the other leans towards a pop sound, but without the sad pop lyrics...For example, on a track called "No Integrity" she proposes: "We've got no integrity, but we sure do look good". This disc is just SO much FUN! I really could tell that these women were having a blast recording it, and as a result I did listening to it. They're funny, and they rock!

"Are You Man Enough?" totally kicked my rear into high gear the moment "Hell On Wheels" began blaring out of my stereo speakers. Betty Blowtorch definitely reminds me of L7, one of my favorite bands back in the early to mid-90s. These women can rock as hard as the guys and be as raunchy too. "Big Hair, Broken Heart", a tribute to Lita Ford is perhaps my very favorite tune off the cd, along with "I Wanna Be Your Sucker" and "Size Queen". At first when I heard "Hell On Wheels" I had to wonder if this was how the rest of the cd sounded like but surprisingly enough the rest of "Are You Man Enough?" is very melodic as it is noisy. I was quite pleasantly surprised to find out that Bianca Butthole, the lead vocalist could actually sing . "Are You Man Enough?" should be listened to as loud as possible.

If L7 or Hole had borrowed some of the Lunachicks' thunder on their later albums, they would have sounded like Betty Blowtorch. Fifteen songs about betrayal, drinking, rock and roll, and sex that would have Kittie scrambling to sharpen their claws and Babes In Toyland (if they were still around) a run for their money. Heck, I can see them going fifteen rounds with Kittie, L7, Courtney Love, even Sleater-Kinney at the same time(!) and come out bloody, but not bowed, in say, three rounds. I kid you not. So if you are a man who has betrayed or wronged them, prepared for A) instant death, B) instant castration, C) instant violence done to your person, D) a song written about you, or E) all of the above.

They have no problem above shrieking the words "slut," "hooker," the F-word, or any other profanity multiple times. In fact, they thrive on it.

The opening guitar riffs on "Hell On Wheels" and the eff off attitude against the law would make Motley Crue proud, even the way vocalist Bianca B***hole pronounces a** as "ay-yass." Her voice here sounds like but outdoes Courtney Love. Come to think of it, Bianaca sounds like a female Vince Neil here and on "Love/Hate."

Vanilla Ice makes a guest appearance on "Size Queen," where he boasts the credentials of his reputed manhood.

Bianca really sounds like Donita Sparks of L7 on "I Wanna Be Your Sucker."

The tempo slows down a bit with the heartbreak story song, "I'm Ugly And I Don't Know Why." It's probably the angriest song here and is about the bitter growing pains of elementary school. The monologue involving a confrontation with a girl who steals away the narrator's boyfriend blazes with fury and builds to a crescendo to where the narrator calls her rival a little c***. Do I feel her pain and anger? Until it burns away my skin!

The girls grew up on hair bands and they do a heartfelt mid-paced number here, naming Lita Ford, Motley Crue, Whitesnake, and Ratt, on "Big Hair, Broken Heart." I grew up with those hair bands too, and not many of them have survived the 1990's or 2000's.

I can list more than a handful of people who deserve the lyrics of sing/chant "I Wish You'd Die" sung to them just to let'em know where they stand. Yes, I hate that many people.

The CD sleeve contains not only the lyrics to the songs, but also Playboy-like vital statistic about each of the girls. For example, the heavily-tattoed Bianca describes her breasts as "2 Scoops of Whipped Cream & a Bowl of Cherries= 36-24-36" and lists her fantasy as Steve Tyler's lips around her bowl of cherries. Lead guitarist Blare N ... has the funniest list; her sign is "Radioactive Waste," measurements are "Long And Narrow," and her fantasy is "Car Insurance." Or how about guitarist Sharon Needles' fantasy, to have an all-girl bike gang called "The Menstrual Cycles"?

Take my advice--these girls mean business! And whatever you do, don't mess with them, unless you have a death wish. They could go ten rounds with any world dictator and come out the champs. Oh yes, and they can put out a killer album, like this one! Thanks, and please don't kill me!

Whats Raunchier than AC/DC with Bon Scott, louder than Lemmy and Motorhead, rawer than Sid and the Pistols and catchier than Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys? The answer is Betty Blowtorch. Never heard of them? Well, then I'll say it again..Betty Blowtorch. You can't see them live because the lead singer is dead. But this CD will live on. Go out and buy this now. It f%#king rocks!!

Best tracks: Rock my World, I Wanna Be Your Sucker, Your Ugly Because Your Ugly, Shut Up And F#@k

I have always been proud of Bianca. As the founder of her first band, "Butt Trumpet" as well as someone who loves her very much, I can only say that I am grateful that she was able to document herself more fully with Betty Blowtorch than I was able to muster in Butt Trumpet due to stupid disputes that slowed down our ability to put out more records (at the time). If you're a fan of true, from the heart rock-n-roll, look no further than Bianca and her band, Betty Blowtorch! I'm here to tell you, Bianca was for real. And even in death, she still has an amazing power over people. Make no mistake, Bianca is a legend. Any Betty recording you can get your hands on, grab it, savor it, because there's much to learn from listening to it. It's how rock-n-roll is supposed to be made!

R.I.P. Bianca.

Thom Bone
Butt Trumpet

That's about it. No hyperbole, no flowery prose. BUY THIS ALBUM!!! The longer you wait, the harder you will kick yourself when you finally hear it. An absolute "must have".

You know how albums like Motorhead "Ace of Spades" and The Four Horsemen's "Nobody Said It Was Easy" truly capture the spirit of rock n' roll? Well, like all of the previous reviewers have rated, add this one to the list with five stars. Honest, straightup hard rock with bits of L7 and Cycle Sluts From Hell thrown in for good measure. I doubt any other chick band will ever top this one.

What can I say that the others haven't? Those reviews are right on. After hearing the CD, I thought of Gun'n'Roses with an extreme attitude (and far better looking). Surprise, they use the same producer. Better than that, their music simply makes for the best damn listening out on the lake, in the car, and partying all night long. Betty does it better than almost any group out there today. I am dying to see them live - or any other way possible!

What can I say that the others haven't? Those reviews are right on. After hearing the CD, I thought of Gun'n'Roses with an extreme attitude (and far better looking). Surprise, they use the same producer. Better than that, their music simply makes for the best damn listening out on the lake, in the car, and partying all night long. Betty does it better than almost any group out there today. I am dying to see them live - or any other way possible!

Well, it's about time someone breathed some life back into rock and roll! And these women do it well. I'm a big fan of L7, but this isn't punk,it's real rock! Great vocals,none of this modern hacking sounds that are so abundant today.Awesome guitars,very powerful,but not death metal either. Adult language,and adult content,the way rock was meant to be.This is a combination of Lita Ford and Motley Crue.Some tracks are serious,and some have a touch of humor,and they all rock! Seldom are you lucky enough to pick up a CD and love every track, but this is the one you've waited for! This is what would have happened to 80's hard rock if it would have progressed to 2001! An album to give hope to rock's future.I pray for the next CD!