More
Poison
than
punk rock
,
the Lunachicks
' follow-up to the promising
Babysitters on Acid
is disjointed and disappointing. There's no denying that the debut's ingredients didn't disappear --
Binge & Purge
is just as gross and lewd, just as drunk on big
garage rock
slobber as before. But without any new moves -- actually with a dial down of humor and hyperactivity -- it can only work as a hobbled companion piece to their early back catalog.
The Lunachicks
were much more talented than songs like
"This Is Serious"
and
"Apathetic"
implied. Considering the
punk
-art gallows humor of their beginnings and the refined assault on the senses in
Jerk of All Trades
Pretty Ugly
is best viewed as a mid-interest liaison between the band's two defining styles. ~ Dean Carlson