The Applicators

Who invited you? The Donnas may not think you’re cool enough to get into their pajama party, but the five females in Austin-based band The Applicators will not only let you into their pop-punk bash, they’ll probably shove a beer bong down your throat to boot. With songs that sound like The Runaways beating the hell out of The Go-Go’s, and live shows brimming with sassy sexual tension, The Applicators impressed Bad Religion/Circle Jerks guitarist Greg Hetson so much that he produced their debut album, 2001’s What’s Your Excuse. On its third and latest album, My Weapon (King Fing’r), the band continues its sexy-with-a-sneer songcrafting on tunes like the trash-punky “Bad Infection” and the harmony-heavy pop lob “I Need You.” And while The Applicators don’t have the “girls next door” looks The Donnas possess (unless you happen to live next door to a studded belt shop), there’s something about them that feels (gasp) genuine — even if they take on silly stage names like “Ericator,” “Kristina Applicate,” and “Appli-Katy.” At least they’re not all named “Donna.”