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The quartet PUSSICAT KILL is trying to answer this question. To get straight to the point, aesthetically, the lady and three gentlemen from beautiful Madrid have little in common with the eponymous Russ Meyer film from 1966. So, those who expect a booklet full of photos of ladies winding on sofas, looking simple-minded, and scantily clad with certain excessively oversized body parts will be disappointed. And that's for the best; those who want to be faster than punk have other concerns than to court silicone pomeranians. Personally, I've never really asked myself whether speed is a quality feature for punk rock, similar to the Demeter seal in organic stores. But since we're on the subject, the benchmark was set in 1996 by the gentlemen of EXPLOITED with their "Beat The Bastards" album, which remains unsurpassed. Neither our friends the CASUALTIES nor the grand DISCHARGE have managed to even come close to shaking this throne.
Back to the Iberian quartet. On their current long player, they have set themselves the goal of kicking ass with 14 songs spread over 42 minutes. The opening track of an album is still considered a kind of business card for me – it recommends the following offer. And yes, with "Wake Up," they don't exactly hold back. In a good mid-tempo range, they show where the journey is headed: female punk, melody, choruses, NOFX breaks. Everything is present to distill good punk rock. However, with the following track "Eat You," the tempo is curiously significantly slowed down and stomped out in a solid 4/4. Track 3 officially sets the pace again. Tracks 4, 5, 8, 9, 12, and 13 are very similar, but all have a catchy chorus and are kept at a good danceable tempo. And there we have it. There's really nothing to criticize. The album is fine. Now you're waiting for my "but." There is indeed one. The songs pass by too easily for me. I don't necessarily see the similarity of the songs as a flaw; after all, it's not prog rock, and those who are really into this kind of music – well, they get more out of it. However, when I reach track 13 and, even after multiple listens, no song really sticks except for a few exceptions, that's a bit disappointing for me.
High-speed punk? Track 7 comes closest to this attribute. At just 2 minutes and 4 seconds, "Criminals" is the shortest piece and, for me, the second-best on this album. Very fast, with a very simple musical structure but a good vocal melody and cleverly used choruses, it impressively proves that punk rock doesn't need much to be impactful and impressive.
But the highlight of the album awaits with the last track "Te Odio Madrid" – "I Hate Madrid." At 5 minutes long, it's almost twice as long as the average length of all the other songs. Refreshingly different and outstanding in every respect. First of all, it's in the mother tongue of our vocalist, which suits her much better. Not that her English pronunciation is to be criticized, but as soon as the good lady communicates in her native language what she has to say, namely how pissed off she is with her oh-so-beautiful hometown, everything sounds a bit more authentic. Suddenly, there's real grit and expression in her voice, and that's exactly the certain something that I miss in most of the songs on this album. Musically, this piece has at least as much to offer. It seems to be a kind of medley, as it differs from all previous pieces mainly in that hardly any part repeats, and the good melodies pass the musical baton to each other like in a relay race. From the first to the last minute, this piece captivates. In the end, a ska part, as we know and love from the good old STROH, SKA-P, Y BASTA!, or MANU CHAO, brings unexpected dance joy. A piece that expresses pure joy of playing.
Time for a conclusion. The question posed at the beginning is something the four musicians won't be able to answer either. Comparisons are always a hot topic, as the reviewer can also be accused of latent pigeonholing. But there's a lot of familiarity to be found, making it very comparable to what has come before. Those who still mourn the good times of DEADLINE and their best albums "Back For More" (2003), "Getting Serious" (2005), or "Take A Good Look" (2006) will find some joy here in certain tracks, even if they can't match their speed. Those who can relate more to the first two DISTILLERS albums will also find several musical quotes here. Nevertheless, it's a successful work. Well-produced, a bit too tame for my taste; it could have been more explosive. The cymbals are too quiet for me, and the guitars could use a lot more punch. But musically, there's little to criticize. Solid, with a healthy dose of rock 'n' roll. I'm curious to see how the lady and gentlemen manage to sell themselves live. The album is worth seven points to me, as the mentioned songs 7 and 14 are worth recommending as singles.
