(RCA)

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Hailing out of Sweden, like every other great rawk band these days it seems, the four-piece Sahara Hotnights give the Donnas a run for their money in hottest and most rockin’ all-gal band on the planet right now. But whereas the Donnas go for the overtly retro Runaways sound, the Hotnights splatter a whole mess of influences across their canvas and come up with something that’s all together their own. Part ‘60s garage rock, part arena rock, part punk and part power pop, these ladies have concocted what may be the best major label debut album by anyone from any country in quite sometime. I can honestly say there ain’t one bad apple in the bunch here, every tune is a winner.

From the revved up attitudical rock of the opener “Alright Alright (Here's My Fist Where's the Fight?)” to the scorchin’ fuck the man double time march of “Out of the System,” Jennie Bomb plays like a greatest hits collection by your favorite band, all the more impressive when you consider this is a fairly new outfit on the scene. “On Top of Your World” features the best sing-a-long chorus these ears have heard in many a years, while “Fire Alarm” and “No Big Deal” mix strains of Romeo Void-style new wave with Blondie-fueled punk to cheerfully sneering results. “No Big Deal” could be an unreleased Elastica gem, with it’s girl power snarl and quirky geetars, whereas “Down and Out” just tears your head off with a big ol’ ‘60s sounding riff and fist-pumpin’ chorus. It ain’t exactly metal but it’s hard and it rocks and in 11 short songs they manage to say more than most bands over the course of their entire career.

Strong lyrics, smokin’ guitars, catchy tunes, sophisticated arrangements, melodic vocals courtesy of Maria Andersson (girlfriend of the singer of the Hives I hear) and hot bods make this a band one powerful force to be reckoned with. With the right video any one of these songs could be a smash. Let’s just hope MTV don’t have their thumbs up their collective asses promoting that new Christina Aguilera piece of shit video to see the real deal when it’s staring them in the face. Um….but I do love those crotchless chaps….

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