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On disc: Citizen Charlie



Up Yours - Claudia Ehrhardt - 8 stars


www.myspace.com/citizencharlie







Up Yours

Up Yours
(Rocksector Records - 2010)


The Norwegian band Citizen Charlie is fronted by Charlie who started her career in a band called Charlie's Drugstore back in 1999 in Atlanta. She was the main force behind the band and after touring Europe they signed a deal. Anyway, the band members walked separate ways and Charlie started to work on solo material and released an album called Citizen CharlieCitizen Charlie. After signing with Rocksector Records Charlie and her band toured the UK several times, released an EP Until The Day which featured 2 songs from the debut and now it's time for the next album. Up Yours sounds like a modern version of Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, early Lita Ford spiced up with some Hole.
They kick off with Until The Day, and with All In All they present the first new tune. The heavy riffs revive the 70's rock spiced up with a little punk and new wave, the vocals show a dash of Courtney Love... It's a catchy rocker which soon make you sing along. If you can imagine Suzanne Vega singing a Hellacopters tune, then you get an idea what to expect from So What To Do! The pop punk track Give It Up is infectious and shows a different facet of the Norwegian quintet. Slowly they head into Out Of This World, a more balladesque rocker which reminds me of early Lita Ford - and a bit of Kali (The Immigrants). They speed up for the title track Up Yours, an angry punk rocker with a cool guitar part. So You Think shows another facet of Citizen Charlie, the Hole vibe is back. The song doesn't have the angry, snotty attitude some other tracks show, but you can be sure that this isn't a sweet tune!
Faith No More is based on heavy riffs, more metal then any other song on Up Yours! But the song also offers a catchy refrain and is one of the songs you will hardly forget, if you heard it a few times! The closer is Losing talks about an unfulfilled life, about being fed up by phony people. A clear statement and it seems to explain Charlie's attitude. Charlie is the one taking the spotlight, her vocals are honest, seem to give the listener a look behind the surface. But without the musical support of her band it wouldn't work. This is a statement - and it rocks.
If you like female-fronted rock with attitude, then check out Citizen Charlie!


8 stars

Claudia Ehrhardt
 

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