Barb Wire Dolls
Desperate
(Motörhead Music)
Chances are if the average North American were asked to name a single band from Greece, they would be stumped. Fear not, you now have an answer next time someone asks you that random trivia question. Originating on the unlikely tropical paradise of Crete, the band’s rock and roll sound is about as far from beach friendly as you can get without crossing into the metal genre.
Rather than looking at their geographical origins, the name of their record label provides much more insight into the sonic direction of Barb Wire Dolls. With the legendary Lemmy as a fan, chances are there is a heavy dose of guitar driven rock at the core of their sound. While plenty of other influences make up their sound, it is all anchored around the concept of good old fashioned guitar rock.
At times, there is a pop sheen that overlays the music, which occasionally can be distracting, but the smooth edges provide a nice counter to the gritty rock and roll image that permeates the music. A punk attitude makes things interesting and Isis Queen’s vocals draw heavily from Debbie Harry and Joan Jett, sometimes moving between the two inspirations in a single song (“Take Me Home”). The tendency to switch between hard driving rock and more gentle harmonies provide depth to the release, something which is often lacking in the recordings of contemporaries like The Pretty Reckless.
For the most part, the album tends to blur together like a well-planned live show set list. There are a couple of stand outs though that act as speed bumps, such as the awkward driving almost-ballad “I Will Sail,” which puts Isis Queen’s vocal limitations in the spotlight, awkwardly highlighting the grating potential of her caterwauls when left unchecked. It’s followed by the album highlight, the amusingly titled “Darby Crash,” which boldly announces the inspiration for the uptempo punk rock stand out. In direct contrast to the preceding track, the vocals are used as a part of the whole here, allowing the rest of the band to run wild with their instruments. These provide the extremes of the band’s sound, with the rest of the songs fitting comfortably within these constraints, drawing from straightforward classic rock and punk.
The lyrics are never as intelligent as Patti Smith, and Isis Queen doesn’t seem to command the microphone like Debbie Harry in her heyday. There is no doubt that the band draws inspiration from early American punk rock, but their execution is more appropriately compared to Lemmy’s own Motörhead. Barb Wire Dolls’ songs are full of attitude and are straightforward rock songs, albeit slightly formulaic in nature. It is completely predictable and yet, ultimately a satisfying listen for the sheer simplicity and unapologetic fun that the band is clearly having.
