This CD is not as intense as 90 lb Wuss or Value Pac, but it's punk none the less. The influence of 60's pop is very strong, which means that the songs get stuck in your head and you just can't get them out. You're also likely to find yourself dancing uncontrollably all around your room. These girls can really rock, that's no question, but what about the lyrics?
The subject of most modern punk songs seems to be focused on the relationships between guys and girls. MxPx has their "Chick Magnet" and "Wantad", Value Pac talks about the "Mind Games" that girls play on them, and The Cootees sing about their "School Girl Fantasy". The list goes on and on; guys talking about girls and the bad luck that they've had. Well, The Halo Friendlies have not let us down. A major portion of this album is dedicated to talking about the girl/guy thing from the girl's point of view. The song "Jackie Chan" talks about meeting a really great guy at a show. The girl in the song is experiencing a major heartache because she is no longer in contact with this great guy who identified himself as Jackie Chan. The song is really fun. "Love Sick" is the girl's version of the classic punk song where the singer is chasing a member of the opposite sex who just doesn't seem to notice them. The most interesting of all the "love" songs is "Let's Be Friends". Now, how many guy punk bands have sung about this one? It's the classic line that every guy hates to hear, but this time the song is from the girl's perspective. I think there are many lessons to be learned here for both guys and gals.
The CD also has a good number of more serious songs. "Look Around" talks about the danger of wasting your years on earth. Songs like "Cry of Job" and "Light Prayer" show that these girls aren't always thinking about guys. The honesty in the lyrics is something that is hard to find in today's music industry.
Over all, this is a great debut album and I'm sure that we'll see great things from these girls in the future. The music is good enough to keep you dancing all night, and the lyrics will make you think. This is a must have for those who are looking for something different in a music industry so full of cookie-cutter bands.
Other coverage for this album
HM Magazine #72Reviewed by Brian Vincent McGovernWhile some of this can take on the timbre of The Breeders or even Morella's Forest, other moments remind one of The Go-Go's. Still, some parts even bring to mind a smoother Courtney Love vocal. I especially liked the rockabilly/spy music vibe of "Look Around." There's a healthy bit of variety, as "Flake-O (on My Scalp-O)" is quite an upbeat pop tune, "Sunrise Surprise" is a dance mix, and "Cry of…The Lighthouse Unsorted 1998Reviewed by Melissa KonieczkoAn all girl band. One of those things that's extremely hard to resist, like those new plug-in air fresheners with the built-in outlet. The four ladies who make up the Halo Friendlies hail from California and seek to share their love for music and for fun through their debut release on Jackson Rubio Recordings. The style is surf meets pop punk, bringing to mind everything from Delta Haymax to…Puddlegum 1998Reviewed by MiguelJim Mendenhall's review of the Halo Friendlies' debut album is a bit too shining. I bought the album fresh in the stores, expecting chick-type punk and 80s Go-Gos funk. I wasn't disappointed. These girls really do ROCK. It's like acid-Motown. The problem I have with the album (and hence Jim's review) is the lyrics. I find them predictable, whiney, and less-than-wonderful in general. It is evident…Puddlegum 1998Reviewed by Rich VoelzDecisions, decisions.... With little money I bought this CD over the new Frodus CD at the spur of the moment and I'd have to say that it was nothing short of disappointing. There was a lot of hype behind the all-girl Halo's and could have gone into a few short improvements. For instance, the recording quality could have been much better as well as mixing it down. I'm sure the girls will be great…The Phantom Tollbooth 1998Reviewed by Josh SpencerThe young Jackson-Rubio label is really earning my respect, consistently putting out unique, creative, talented bands mostly outside of mainstream trends--Havalina Rail Co., Thee Spivies, the Merbabies... and now the Halo Friendlies. The four groovy girls who make up the band (Havalina frontman and Jackson-Rubio head honcho Matt Wignall's wife being one of them) have taken the beats and attitudes…Similar sounding releases
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1998Morella's ForestFrom Dayton With Love
