REVIEW: The Donnas, Get Skintight (Lookout! Records)
- Jason Cahill
When The Donnas hit the scene a few years back, many in the industry labeled them nothing more than a novelty act - four teenage girls, all named Donna, playing straight forward punk. Two years later, The Donnas are still around, while most of those same industry executives are probably working on their resumes. Much like their debut album, "American Teenage Rock 'N' Roll Machine," Get Skintight is an onslaught of old school punk with major nods to both Kiss and the Ramones. They haven't reinvented the wheel, or created something which transcends generations, but Get Skintight is punk rock in its purest form.
The Donnas -- four teenage girls from Palo Alto, California -- are the Young Miss version of Sleater Kinney. Their songs come at a fever pitch, and at times it's hard to distinguish one from another. But the raw energy and unfiltered intensity on Get Skintight is hard to miss. The opening track is a full-on assault, complete with screeching guitars, machismo lyrics and a chorus which is nothing if not catchy -- a good indication of what you can expect on the rest of the album. "Hook It Up" is about as infectious as they come, if only just a bit repetitious, and when The Donnas shout out the chorus in unison near the end of the song, you can't help but smile.
Lyrically, however, The Donnas begin to show their age, or lack thereof. Get Skintight abounds with references to everything from Slurpee machines and Hostess cupcakes to fake ID's and BB guns. But perhaps that's the charm. Amid a handful of alternative albums filled with songs about death, destruction and despair come The Donnas, whose biggest concern seems to be finding the next party and a guy who can satisfy their appetite for fun. It's a refreshing change of pace from most of today's purveyors of doom and gloom. Wouldn't it be nice if bands like Manic Street Preachers and Suede threw in the occasional reference to a Drake's Cake?
Actually, with song titles like "Party Action," "Get Outta My Room" and "Doin' Donuts," it should really come as no surprise that Get Skintight is an album where adolescent rockers play adolescent rock. But to dismiss The Donnas as just that, adolescent rockers, would be a mistake. True, the themes which are prevalent throughout the album (partying, having fun, getting laid) are typical teenage battle cries, but sometimes it's nice to hear a band play balls to the wall rock -- nothing more, nothing less -- without attempting to be deep and introspective. There's plenty of time for that. For now, just turn up the volume and think back to a time when the only thing that mattered was getting laid. Oh, wait -- that still is the only thing that matters. I guess The Donnas really have created something which transcends generations.
