The Soviettes’ LP II was easily one of my top five albums of last year. Their LP I was in my top five for the year before. So the real question with LP III was whether or not they could keep up the trend. Three top five albums in three years. That’s a lot to ask of any band. My expectations were so high that I couldn’t imagine being anything but disappointed. And, to be honest, my first listen was a little tepid. I wasn’t sure if this album could stand up to their first two. There was that third song that sounded like Pat Benatar could’ve sung it. And there are definite rock star moments to some of the songs: big power chords and riffs that sound like they could become guitar solos. Still, there was enough of the Soviettes to get me to spin it again. As songs started separating themselves and all the parts started fitting together, this album made sense. It’s punk rock and eighties pop and some of the best elements of fellow Minneapolis bands like the Selby Tigers and Dillinger Four. It’s also never far from my stereo. I burned an extra copy to keep in my truck. I can’t stop listening to it. It’s early to say, but I think the Soviettes are gonna make my top five list three years running.
–sean (Fat)