Customer Reviews

Le Tigre

5 star:		(43)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've never written a fan letter before, but since listening to this album, I'm very tempted to write the three talented women of Le Tigre and thank them for reclaiming music as a medium that can inform, challenge, entertain, and inspire.

Not only are the songs themselves danceable and full of great melodies, but the lyrics are worth a close listen. The names invoked on "Hot Topic" (not unlike the [in]famous Billy Joel "We Didn't Start the Fire") are worthy of investigation-- from Sleater-Kinney to David Wojnarowicz. And the simple poetry of "Les and Ray" (the final song on the album) is truly touching.

As always, Kathleen Hanna is a major force behind the group's sound and energy, but the other two members are not to be ignored for their contributions. Sadie Benning was recently profiled in Time magazine of all places, and Johanna Fateman is the group's connection to the New York art scene. All three combine to produce an album that's thought-provoking-- but actually a real joy to listen to. One of my favorite albums of all time (and I'm actually a classical musician!).

This stuff is a lot poppier than BK, but that doesn't make it any less good. This album is a culmination of Hanna's BK and Julie Ruin work. In addition to being poppier, she's also a lot less crankier, with the exception of "Metrocard", where they rail at Giuliani for turning Times Square into Disney World.

Although I like BK and JR, I found this to be an easier listen. Easily one of the best albums I've heard all year (along with Bis' "Social Dancing"). I highly recommend this.

Social protest? Dance fun? Social protest? Dance fun? What's your take on Le Tigre? Luckily, its both and so much more. Who would have thought "revolution girl style now" could have been so infectious or catchy? Le Tigre consists of ex-Bikini Kill Kathleen Hanna, a zine writer, and an indie filmmaker. Perhaps this motely collection of bursting creativty and energy lends itself to such a wildly fun record. At first listen, Le Tigre is instantly catchy, an explosive spontaneous dance album. There's no monotomous pattern here, Le Tigre tries a little of different musical styles never comitting themselves to one, making their debut album all the more exciting and hilarious. Riot grrls everywhere should've found out the simple yet devastatingly effective use of bouncy cheerful sing-a-longs. Le Tigre take it to the extreme, but come out unscarred and credibility in tact due to the intelligent, witty lyrics. But we've come to expect nothing less from Kathleen Hanna at the helm. "Deceptacon" is a fast-paced, hand-clapping, hard-hitting opener to the album. When Hanna cries "I'm so bored that I'd be entertained even by a stupid f***in' linoleum floor...Your lyrics are dumb like a linoleum floor. I'll walk on it! I'll walk over you!" you can't help but laugh. "Hot Topic" is a delightfully catchy tribute to certain feminists, encouraging them in their beliefs and activism with everyone from Aretha Franklin to Sleater-Kinney to Yoko Ono to Gayatri Spivak included. If "Hot Topic" doesn't get you singing along and dancing then you probably are a linoleum floor. "The The Empty" resembles Bikini Kill more than anything else on the album, grinding guitars drive Kathleen Hanna's Valley Girl delivery forward with unrelenting momentum, only stopping for a second to allow you enough room to breathe and for Kathleen Hanna to sneer "Oh baby!" before blasting off again. "Phanta" is a creative science-fiction spin with a stuttery robotic beat encompassing bleeps and blips and control tower emissions. "Eau D'Bedroom Dancing" which translates to "Water of Bedroom Dancing", which I won't pretend to understand, but its a beautiful love song that floats like water and had me dancing in my bedroom. "My My Metrocard" takes a stab at Giuliani for shutting the stripbars all disguised in a deceptively cheerful sing-a-long. Two finger snaps start off "Les and Ray", a sparkling dedication to old neighbors who used to play the piano. "You were my oxygen, the thing that made me think I could escape." Kathleen croons. It's also a song for any of us whoever used music as an escape. If all that glitters is not gold when inside it's dead, then Le Tigre glitters like gold AND its full of life.

This is the best album I've bought in a long time, I have been listening to this CD non-stop for about a month. Each song is recorded in the lo-fi sort of synth-pop style but the range in lyrics and style is phenomenal. These are definitely some talented ladies!

I've been a big fan of Ms. Hanna for some time now and this album displays her depth and range very nicely. The Le Tigre album has some of the grrl angst as in the Bikini Kill days, but the lyrics and sound go beyond that, it explores topics from their influenences (as in the song "Hot Topic") to the films of Cassavetes ("Whats yr take on Cassavetes") to comment on Giuliani shutting down strip bars in "My Metrocard."

What I really love about these songs is that each is very singalong and catchy but then the lyrics start to sink in and your like "whoah..."

The opening track, Deceptacon, is a power-pop sing along and will probably stick in you head for awhile although the last track on the album called "Les and Ray" is the best. Its so sweet and heart-felt, my eyes tear up and I get a knot in my throat each time I listen to it, in a good way, of course!

Hmmm....I think I need to push play on my discman again...

Another solid effort from Kathleen Hanna and friends. It is slightly better than "Julie Ruin" because the songwriting is improved and the production is better. "Le Tigre" is like the best 80's new wave album you never heard, utilizing old drum machine and keyboard technology to perfection. Songs like "What's Yr Take on Cassavettes" and "My My Metrocard" are irresistably catchy, yet contain the necessary subversive elements that make Hanna's work so excellent. While "Julie Ruin" was probably geared more toward her fans, "Le Tigre" can be enjoyed by anybody willing to listen to some fun, thought provoking music.

Stylistically, this album has a lot of similarities to Julie Ruin, but it's an improvement in every way. It apparently did her a lot of good to collaborate with other people for Le Tigre. People -- well, men anyway -- often complain about feminists having no sense of humor, but Kathleen Hanna is hilarious even when she's dealing with dark or complex subject matter. She knows good politics won't win anyone over if the music isn't fun to listen to. Yes, "Hot Topic" lists many names of feminist and transgressive artists, but it pivots around a drumbeat, a bass line and the encouraging words "don't stop." You can be inspired by it even if you don't know who Marlon Riggs or Dorothy Allison are. Back in riot grrl days, Hanna demanded "revolution girl style now!" but here she's acknowledging that the revolution is her life's work and the life's work of a lot of other people. And she sounds like she's thrilled about it. You can't help but feel thrilled for her.

It can be a bit overwhelming to wade through all the riot grrrl (notice 3 rs not 2) bands out there. Some of it's angry and loud, others are cuddly and PowerPuffGirl-friendly. Le Tigre seems to be both.

Bikini Kill's Kathleen Hanna teams up with videomaker Sadie Benning and zine queen Johanna Fateman. How's that for DIY grrrl rock? But this isn't your typical Sleater-Kinney style rock. These kids aren't afraid to mix in some old-school samples and heavy electronica on their self-titled CD: Le Tigre.

"Phanta" sounds like a theme song to an anime robot cartoon, while "My My Metrocard" makes you want to pogo all the way to the subway.

And don't think for a second that the lyrics to any of these songs are simply filler. Really pay attention to some of the political commentary about the mayor of New Yok City or viewpoints about maverick filmmaker John Cassavetes, transgendered activist Leslie Feinberg, deconstructionalist Gayatri Spivak and black revolutionary Angela Davis.

Le Tigre is the thinking-grrrl's band.

Great stuff. The bland beige image and dour faces on the cover are a trick: Kathleen Hanna (ex-Bikini Kill) has never come off more likeable and exuberant than she does on this record. Somebody hit the nail on the head by describing the opening track, "Deceptacon," as a great lost new wave song, with its lunging, gnarly bass line front and center, dominating the whole mix.

But there are wrinkles to the seemingly simple pleasure on offer here. The group's critical intelligence never quite disappears in the tumble of the cute, high vocals and catchy drum box/sample beats. Hanna belts out apt antitheses like "let me hear you depoliticize my rhyme / 1, 2, 3, 4 / you got what you've been asking for / you're so policy free," etc. And the cute vocals themselves are a deliberate choice, a conscious de-centering; you hear them differently when you remember the shrill riot grrl who lurks in the background.

All that blather aside, the three coolest songs on this album are "Deceptacon," "Hot Topic" (a call-and-response rap that runs down the names of grrl-positive artists and writers ... it somehow reminds me of Motown, "Land of 1,000 Dances" and such) and the instantly memorable "My My Metrocard," a giddy beatbox and keyb paean to NYC subway riding.

Seriously, you half suspect that Le Tigre added that profane diss of Giuliani to the lyrics of "Metrocard" because otherwise the City would try to buy the rights to the darn thing and use it in their radio promotions. It's that catchy.

Good show.

Well, this cd is the first ever to actually make me want to get up and actually *dance*. Its alot more accessible than bikini kill and julie ruin was to me. Bikini kill took awhile to grow on me, but after the first listen of le tigre it had my head bobbing and my cd on repeat.:)

First of all - I would give this more 4.5 stars than 4 stars.

This CD is empowering, energetic and fun. It's great to dance to but the lyrics are meaningful. They're a hard band to define, they aren't exactly electro but this is NOT Bikini Kill. It takes more after where Julie Ruin left off I think. Kathleen Hanna sounds like she's having a good time throughout the whole record which makes it just that more good. Even if you aren't a feminist (although if you are - listening to the album is a lot more enjoyable) this a great album to look into. I would get this CD before "Feminist Sweepstakes" because it's harder to get into "Feminist Sweepstakes" if you don't know how Le Tigre began.

Deceptacon - GREAT, the first few times I couldn't hear anything she was saying so I didn't like it very much but after I knew the lyrics it turned out to be one of my favorites.

Hot Topic - This song is OK, I think it's a great idea for a song but it carries on a little too long.

What's Yr Take on Cassavetes - I love this song, it's hilarious and intellectual at the sametime. It also has a great beat to it.

Empty - Takes a while to like, but after you get into it, it's a great song to dance and sing a long to.

Phanta - A mediocre song, it's good the first few hearings but it gets a little boring after a few more.

Eau D'bedroom Dancing - ABSOLUTLEY BEAUTIFUL! This is my favorite song on the album. It's slower than the rest of the songs but it keeps you hooked. Simply singing about dancing in your bedroom but amazing lyrics.

Let's Run - Good lyrics but I don't really like the beat. It's a so-so song.

My My Metrocard - GREAT song, it's witty, clever, energectic, danceable and fun all at once. I love it.

Friendship Station - Another so-so song, not much to say about it.

Slideshow at Free University - This is a pretty good song, it has a good beat and it doesn't get tired. Not much to say about it either though.

Dude Yr So Crazy! - I love this. Johanna Fateman sings in this song and the beat is haunting. Probably my second favorite song on this album. It's also different from the rest since the beat isn't as upbeat as the rest.

Les and Ray - I like this song, I didn't really like at first but I think it's a good song to end. It's sweet and has good lyrics so I'm okay with it.