Bikini Kill
delivered their second album just a little bit too late. By the time
Reject All American
hit the stores in 1996, the media's fascination with
riot grrrl
had passed, leaving the band the province of a small cult. Of course, they prefer it that way, but the insularity of their audience and their message is reflected in the music.
has the requisite raw production, blistering three-chord riffs, and
Kathleen Hanna
's gut-churning screams, but the result isn't necessarily entirely effective. The problem is the band is preaching to a converted audience -- and their music doesn't have enough hooks to effectively sell their message. There are some good songs on the album, and on the whole it's a tighter album than their debut, but it doesn't capture the moment the way
Pussy Whipped
did, and
are all about immediacy. Therefore,
is sort of irrelevant. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine