Prettier Than Pink, Chop Suey (Sutton Records)

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By Roger "Red" Byrne
Freelancers United, Inc.

From the opening bass and drum interplay on "Mars," it became apparent that the all-girl band Prettier Than Pink were intent on making a grand statement. Pop music was once an ambitious genre, one that could be bent out of shape and absorb a variety of inspirations without losing control of the wheel. The Beatles were the first visionaries to extend pop's reach, reaching otherworldly terrain while appealing to the rampant conservatism of the masses. Prettier Than Pink (http://www.prettierthanpink.com), for all of their "Rock of the '80s" affections, is a late '60s group at heart, brimming with British Invasion harmonies and psychedelic highs.

Prettier Than Pink mix and match decades without developing a sweat; the songs progress effortlessly. As listeners we are oblivious to the amount of work it must've taken to balance the stylistic leaps that the band takes here. On "Get Up," the group cleverly transitions from '70s funk to narcotic riffs. Rarely does one hear a band these days which places such an emphasis on tight musicianship. The jangly bits in "Hair" recall the Smiths' "This Charming Man" but the band refuses to paint the picture with a single colour, adding an electrifying rock riff that drives the beat to supersonic speed.

"Kryptonite" features some of the record's finest songwriting, twisting the cliche of being infatuated with celebrity. In this case, the girl feels she is cuter than the girl her rock god has chosen. It is an achingly funny tale.

On the serious side, "Johnny Blaze" is probably the year's most demented love song. For those who don't know, Johnny Blaze is the demon-possessed anti-hero of Marvel Comics legend, a biker with a burning skull who sets criminals afire until their souls are sent to Hell. Not since Liz Phair admitted her sexual attraction to Darth Vader has their been an admission of amor this bizarre.

The '60s were about tearing down boundaries, especially in art, and this is reflected in Prettier Than Pink's Chop Suey. These women are fearless, shifting tempo and tone with the courage of an experienced sky diver. Although the record's a tad short, it's a king's feast for the ears, uniting cultures and decades with gusto and inventiveness.