Logo
DiS Needs You: Save our site »
  • Logo_home2
  • Records
  • In Depth
  • In Photos
  • Blog
  • Podcast
  • Search
  • Community
  • Records
  • In Depth
  • Blog
  • Community

THIS SITE HAS BEEN ARCHIVED AND CLOSED.

Please join the conversation over on our new forums »

If you really want to read this, try using The Internet Archive.

Chicks On Speed

99 Cents

Label: Chicks On Speed Release Date: 13/10/2003

5032
clloyd by Christopher Lloyd October 14th, 2003

A few years back, Chicks on Speed found themselves on the German version of Top of the Pops thanks to their cover of Malaria's Kaltes Klarres Wasser.

It's a feat that the band didn't manage to pull off over here in Britain, although they did release their debut album Chicks on Speed Will Save Us All, a covers album that took in electronic noodling, ambient soundscapes and occasionally disco music. It showed potential, as did the soon-following Rarities album, but it just didn't flow well. It wasn't dull, but it did feel more like a compilation album than a debut proper.

Three years later and the Chicks are back; they've cut down on the cover versions, written some songs of their own and made one big loud glam rock electro-pop explosion of an album.

Opener 'Shooting from the Hip' sets the scene for the next 50 minutes, cut-up guitars, rumbling bass and near unfathomable deadpan lyrics. The single 'We Don't Play Guitars' bounces on a glam rock beat until Peaches turns up to add a unique guitar solo. Peaches isn't the only guest on this album. Miss Kittin turns up on 'Shick Shavin', a sultry floaty slice of electro that lyrically is completely baffling, and also appears on the album's only cover, Tom Tom Club's 'Wordy Rappinghood', an ultra-catchy seven minute dancefloor killer that also features Talking Head/Tom Tom Club's Tina Weymouth, Adult's Nicola Kuperus, and Label mates Le Tigre. All that the song misses is its own dance moves a la 'Macarena'.

The only flaw on the album is 'Coventry', a song nearly as dull as the town it's named after, but having only one duff track in twelve is no big thing. Chicks on Speed are releasing a book in November, entitled **Chicks on Speed, It's a Project**. It seems the project is finally coming into its own.

  • 8
    Christopher Lloyd's Score
Log-in to rate this record out of 10
Share on
   
Love DiS? Become a Patron of the site here »


LATEST


  • Why Music Journalism Matters in 2024


  • Drowned in Sound is back!


  • Drowned in Sound's 21 Favourite Albums of the Year: 2020


  • Drowned in Sound to return as a weekly newsletter


  • Lykke Li's Sadness Is A Blessing


  • Glastonbury 2019 preview playlist + ten alternative must sees



Left-arrow

The Fiery Furnaces

Gallowsbird’s Bark

Mobback
5038

The Vines at Camden Electric Ballroom, Camden, Thu 19 Feb

Mobforward
Right-arrow


LATEST

    news


    Why Music Journalism Matters in 2024

  • 106145
  • news


    Drowned in Sound is back!

  • 106143

    news


    Drowned in Sound's 21 Favourite Albums of the Y...

  • 106141
  • news


    Drowned in Sound to return as a weekly newsletter

  • 106139

    Playlist


    Lykke Li's Sadness Is A Blessing

  • 106138
  • Festival Preview


    Glastonbury 2019 preview playlist + ten alterna...

  • 106137

    Interview


    A Different Kind Of Weird: dEUS on The Ideal Crash

  • 106136
  • Festival Review


    Way Out East: DiS Does Sharpe Festival 2019

  • 106135
MORE


    news


    The Neptune Music Prize 2016 - Vote Now

  • 103918
  • Takeover


    The Winner Takes It All

  • 50972

    Takeover


    10 Things To Not Expect Your Record Producer To...

  • 93724
  • review


    The Mars Volta - Deloused In The Comatorium

  • 4317

    review


    Sonic Youth - Nurse

  • 6044
  • feature


    New Emo Goth Danger? My Chemical Romance confro...

  • 89578

    feature


    DiS meets Justice

  • 27270
  • news


    Our Independent music filled alternative to New...

  • 104374
MORE

Drowned in Sound
  • DROWNED IN SOUND
  • HOME
  • SITE MAP
  • NEWS
  • IN DEPTH
  • IN PHOTOS
  • RECORDS
  • RECOMMENDED RECORDS
  • ALBUMS OF THE YEAR
  • FESTIVAL COVERAGE
  • COMMUNITY
  • MUSIC FORUM
  • SOCIAL BOARD
  • REPORT ERRORS
  • CONTACT US
  • JOIN OUR MAILING LIST
  • FOLLOW DiS
  • GOOGLE+
  • FACEBOOK
  • TWITTER
  • SHUFFLER
  • TUMBLR
  • YOUTUBE
  • RSS FEED
  • RSS EMAIL SUBSCRIBE
  • MISC
  • TERM OF USE
  • PRIVACY
  • ADVERTISING
  • OUR WIKIPEDIA
© 2000-2025 DROWNED IN SOUND