Released in 2014, the first album from Death Valley Girls was an overlooked gem then. Reissued now via Suicide Squeeze, the record's back and here to begin earning the praise it's always deserved. For fans of the group's last album, Under the Spell of Joy, this one is likely to surprise as much as thrill.
Opener "No Reason" roars with bad intent, all revved up riffs, while "Paradise Blues" and "Get Home" take a more languid approach. Equally sinister in vibe, these numbers are like something Tarantino would have put on a soundtrack before he paid people to do that for him. As we can hear, Death Valley Girls started out knowing exactly what to pillage from the past, and how to re-shape it for modern listeners. There's retro unease in these grooves, but a decidedly modern approach to how to structure hard rock as the material feels weighty, like something from The Scientists, rather than just being an ironic goof through old forms. While some people are likely to be drawn to this because of Patty Schemel from Hole on the drums, the whole thing is the project of Bonnie Bloomgarden. Her way with a vocal or a hook is impressive, equal parts Kim Gordon and Jim Reid. Street Venom isn't enitrely varried, but it rocks, and it rocks exactly in the coolest, and smartest way possible.
Street Venom is out now via Suicide Squeeze.
More details on Death Valley Girls via the Facebook page.
[Photo: Mara Breene]