Product Description

Bikini Kill's first "proper" record blasts by in a searing 25 minutes. Though improving greatly on the production quality of the band's earlier efforts, PUSSY WHIPPED still subscribes to the "everything louder than everything else" theory of sound sculpting. That said, the production convincingly adds a brittle immediacy to the record that only serves to raise the album's emotional stakes.
The standouts here are "Alien She", which is sung as a particularly gruesome lullaby while the music crunches and lurches awkwardly in the foreground; "Speed Heart", featuring a paint-peeling guitar thatstarts slow but works up to terminal velocity over the song's brief length; "Rebel Girl", re-recorded from YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, which here gets a jacked up drums and an added searing from the guitars; and "For Tammy Rae", which, given the fury that precedes it, is a surprisingly moving love song. The best track, though, is the one and a half-minute "Star-Bellied Boy", one of the most blunt and moving evocations of sexual frustration ever recorded--and Kathleen Hanna's vocals here will raise the hair on your arms. PUSSY WHIPPED is probably the best entry into the Bikini Kill oeuvre.

Track Listing

1. Blood One
2. Alien She
3. Magnet
4. Speed Heart
5. Lil' Red
6. Tell Me So
7. Sugar
8. Star Bellied Boy
9. Hamster Baby
10. Rebel Girl
11. Star Fish
12. For Tammy Rae

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #33988 in Music
• Released on: 1997-11-17
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .20 pounds

From Amazon.com
Though peers such as Hole's Courtney Love and Babes in Toyland's Kat Bjelland became more famous, no riot grrrl screamed with as much emotional force as Kathleen Hanna. Though it's frequently difficult to hear what she's saying, especially above the glorious din of Billy Karren's fierce guitar, Hanna declares herself a "self-fulfilling porno queen" on "Sugar," and threatens to "scratch out your eyes" with her "long red nails" in "Lil Red." The quartet's relentless hardcore is straight from the Dead Kennedys school, which means it's tough to take in large doses when you're in a reflective mood, but 1993's Pussy Whipped is one of the great punk albums of the '90s. --Steve Knopper

Customer Reviews

riot girl at its best
the riot grrrl scene which emerged in the early 90's produced a lot of great music, as well as influencing later bands. as far as im concerned this is one of the best albums of the era, its strong , brutal and stomach churningly pwerful. the overall sound is rough and D.I.Y but it works so well within the context of the album. tracks like rebel girl and blood one characterise the album, wheras the album charaterises the scene in general.

BIKINI KILL's masterpiece.
No, it's not long, but neither is the 37 minute CIRCLE JERKS Group Sex album and that's stood the test of time as a definitive hardcore punk rock album. BIKINI KILL was the best riot grrl band ever and this is their best album. The CD version of their first two albums is their second best, although the Singles album is also great. Reject All American only has like 2 great songs, the rest is a notch below their usual high quality.

Are these 3 gals and a guy on drums angry? Their vocalist is. And the music is as far removed from her LE TIRGE band sound as is possible. Not only do the vocals shred into the mysogony that continues to exist in Western culture but the music backs it up with well written songs and I get the feeling it's two gals on guitar and bass. It's just got that sorta RAINCOATS/KLEENEX/BUSH TETRAS sorta feel to it, but harder edged. Every song zings on this album.

Bikini Kill, but not the best of
I totally love Bikini Kill and the music of Kathleen Hannah (also as Julie Ruin and with Le Tigre). I feel this album lacks the spontaneity, primal passion and very effective honesty of The CD Version of the First Two Records (also called Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah for no apparent reason), without having the added melodiousness and wit of BK's and KH's later work (The Singles, Reject All American). This album is rather rock and roll, which clearly appeals to some listeners. It feels slightly phony and lacking in ideas to me. I prefer the punkier CD Version of ... and the artier, later stuff. ... After further listening, I take it back.