(Zero Hour)
If there were a Grammy for best Chrissie Hynde performance 22 Brides would win it for the song "Truck Stop" from Beaker. From the opening guitar riff and drum-clap to the smoldering alto of lead singer Libby Johnson, "Truck Stop" leaps off Beaker and into your head just like "Middle of the Road" leaped off Learning to Crawl back in 1983.
But 22 Brides are no mere retro pretenders to Hynde's "last of the independents" crown. Songs like "House on Fire," "Crash" and "Every Last Day" hint at greater things from this sister act plus two from New York City.
Chief among the positives on Beaker are Libby and Carrie Johnson's tighter than tight harmonies. They're capable of turning a song like the opening "Lullabye" from run-of-the-mill up-tempo rocker into something special.
Beaker also introduces the Johnsons' new bandmates, guitarist John Skehan and drummer Ned Stroh, who bring punch and drive to these songs of rape, murder, random sex and out-of-control women. It's really hard to imagine "House on Fire" performed without Stroh's machine-gun snare flams. And Skehan's grinding solo on "Crash" can vibrate skulls.
Despite all its considerable pluses, Beaker hints that the band is somewhat confused on what direction to take. Sometimes the vocals go too far over the top, as in "Chain," where the Johnsons harmonize, breath hard, and moan over a sloppy acoustic guitar accompaniment. Other times, as in "True" or "Sunday Best," the songs seem to have an unnecessary grunge element lacquered to an otherwise nice piece of work. You're glad 22 Brides is on a label like Zero Hour. Ultimately, the band will be allowed to ignore whatever Hole is doing this year and find its own way.
There's a lot to like about 22 Brides, from its decidedly feminine point of view to those gutsy gorgeous two-part harmonies. Beaker proves the Johnsons are capable of great things now with still more to come. Stay tuned.
