The Soviettes

No matter which members of Minnesota's The Soviettes are belting out the lyrics, they yell their brash vocals with a sense of urgency. Maybe it's because the 14 songs on LP III are fast -- and punk rock is always played fast, right? Sure, it's easy to make "Fuck yeah!" punk rock, but The Soviettes know there can be more to it. They offer up darker songs dealing with issues like running away from home ("Middle of the Night"), as well as sneering, good ol'-fashioned drink-all-night tracks ("[Do] The Stagger"). And as much as the band touts not being an all-girl band -- drummer Danny represents the XY contingent -- they did write a tough chick anthem called "Roller Girls," with two women sharing some fighting words ("Bring it, bitch!"). Whether it was actually recorded at a derby doesn't matter, because it's a little dirty and quirky. That's what you get with LP III -- a Ramones-esque sound with a pop sheen that's not only credible, but incredibly fun.