{"id":14825,"date":"2021-03-15T05:00:20","date_gmt":"2021-03-15T05:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/?p=14825"},"modified":"2021-03-09T07:43:10","modified_gmt":"2021-03-09T07:43:10","slug":"l7-wargasm-the-slash-years-1992-1997-cherry-red-records","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/?p=14825","title":{"rendered":"L7 &#8211; \u2018Wargasm &#8211; The Slash Years 1992-1997&#8242; (Cherry Red Records)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/61Hx0nrcwtL._AC_SL1200_.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-14826 size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/61Hx0nrcwtL._AC_SL1200_-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/61Hx0nrcwtL._AC_SL1200_-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/61Hx0nrcwtL._AC_SL1200_-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/61Hx0nrcwtL._AC_SL1200_-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/61Hx0nrcwtL._AC_SL1200_-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/61Hx0nrcwtL._AC_SL1200_-1140x1140.jpg 1140w, https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/61Hx0nrcwtL._AC_SL1200_-65x65.jpg 65w, https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/61Hx0nrcwtL._AC_SL1200_.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>Formed back in 1985 by Donita Sparks and Suzi Gardner, Californian rock hags L7 would release their debut album on Epitaph records in 1988. The band, now completed by bassist Jennifer Finch and drummer Dee Plakas would release the follow up album \u2018Smell The Magic\u2019 on the Sub Pop label and toured supporting Nirvana, sealing their Grunge status. But the band only gained widespread attention when their 3<sup>rd<\/sup> album \u2018Bricks Are Heavy\u2019 was released in 1992 on Slash Records.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Blasting on to our tv screens with the breakthrough single \u2018Pretend We\u2019re Dead\u2019, L7 were the girl band we always wanted. Not only did they resemble 4 miscreants returning from a week at Glastonbury, live they were a ferocious, fully-charged rock n\u2019 roll machine to be reckoned with. And they had the songs to back it up.<\/p>\n<p>Produced by the legendary Butch Vig, \u2018Bricks Are Heavy\u2019 is choc-a-bloc with grunge anthems full of teenage angst and more hooks than you could pilfer from a salmon fisher\u2019s bag. The aforementioned single was preceded by the anthemic \u2018Everglade\u2019 and the killer \u2018Monster\u2019 followed.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s an album you can truly call all killer, no filler. From album opener \u2018Wargasm\u2019 to closer \u2018This Ain\u2019t Pleasure\u2019, L7 fire grunge-tinged, anthemic power punk on all cylinders. You can\u2019t deny the pure rock power of a song like \u2018Shitlist\u2019 and it joins \u2018Shove\u2019 as possibly their finest and most memorable recordings.<\/p>\n<p>Their spontaneous live performances gained as much press as the album (who can forget Donita pulling her pants down and exposing herself on The Word and throwing a used tampon into the audience at the Reading festival?) and these antics sealed the band\u2019s legendary status. Included with this first disc are the b sides \u2018Lopsided Head, \u2018Freak Magnet\u2019 and their gloriously ramshackle take on Guns n\u2019 Roses \u2018Used To Love Her\u2019 (Re-titled here as \u2018Used To Love Him\u2019).<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1140\" height=\"855\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/NAdlZ2F-fs8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>1994 follow-up album \u2018Hungry For Stink\u2019 saw the band riding a wave of commercial success, and while the album sold well, it didn\u2019t really live up to expectations. But what it lacks in consistency it makes up for in sheer, punk rock rage.<\/p>\n<p>Recorded in LA by Gggarth Richardson, \u2018Hungry For Stink\u2019 is a darker album lyrically and it lacks the tongue in cheek humour of its predecessor. Bask in the glory of lead track\/single \u2018Andre\u2019, and \u2018The Bomb\u2019 is classic L7 for sure, but there&#8217;s nothing as immediate as \u2018Shitlist\u2019 or as powerful as \u2018Shove\u2019 going on here.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Baggage\u2019 is all second-hand grunge riffs and shouting, with no discernable melody or actual chorus to write home about. But \u2018Hungry For Stink\u2019 has its moments for sure. \u2018Stuck Here Again\u2019 with its underwatery guitar riff and floaty, indified verse is a highlight that hints at the direction the next album would take and elsewhere \u2018She Has Eyes\u2019 sounds like Hole on a good day.<\/p>\n<p>There was a lot of great albums released in 1994. Alternative music was edgy and dark. But \u2018Hungry For Stink\u2019 wasn\u2019t quite the dangerous beast I wanted it to be.<\/p>\n<p>Included with this 2<sup>nd<\/sup> disc we have a live version of \u2018Baggage\u2019, a great b side in \u2018Punk Broke My Heart\u2019 and an entertaining, if not weird 15 minute radio interview, which I can\u2019t quite decide is real or a spoof. Either way, lets face it, you will only listen to it once.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>1997 saw the band at a crossroads in their career. Bassist Jennifer Finch left the band during the recording of their 5<sup>th<\/sup> album \u2018The Beauty Process: Triple Platinum\u2019, so the album was recorded predominantly as a 3 piece and with 2 producers in Rob Cavallo and Joe Baressi. Friend and bassist Greta Brinkman was roped in to add bass parts in the studio and then Belly\u2019s Gail Greenwood also joined them as a full time touring member.<\/p>\n<p>The crisp, clean production and change in tone works well and the band sound fresh here. The grunge is toned down and the songwriting is amped up. There&#8217;s a new found confidence and a fresh approach.<\/p>\n<p>First song proper \u2018Drama\u2019 is classic L7 with grungy riffs and sneering vocals. With a stripped back sound and cool gang vocals, \u2018Off The Wagon\u2019 is the obvious single. Indie vibes are prevalent throughout the album with the band coming on like contemporaries such as Belly and Veruca Salt on the likes of \u2018Non-Existent Patricia\u2019 and \u2018Moonshine\u2019 with its stripped back bass and drums verse, occasional surf guitar and a sweet chorus refrain.<\/p>\n<p>While the band experimented and developed their sound, Donita had lost none of her knack for a screaming diatribe or two. Frustration and angst are continuing themes on the likes of \u2018The Masses Are Asses\u2019. Included on this 3<sup>rd<\/sup> disc are the b sides \u2018Guera\u2019 and \u2018Worn Out\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>L7 would go on to release one more album before disbanding in 2001. Reuniting with bassist Jennifer Finch the band reformed in 2014 and following extensive touring released their 7<sup>th<\/sup> album \u2018Scatter The Rats\u2019 to critical acclaim.<\/p>\n<p>This 3-album collection is lovingly presented with bonus tracks and extensive liner notes by Malcolm Dome and the band. It shows a band at the height of their career and remains a testament to what a tour de force L7 really were in the mid 90\u2019s.<\/p>\n<p>Buy &#8216;Wargazm&#8217; <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/2Oghrzp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Here<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Author: Ben Hughes<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Formed back in 1985 by Donita Sparks and Suzi Gardner, Californian rock hags L7 would release their debut album on Epitaph records in 1988. The band, now completed by bassist Jennifer Finch and drummer Dee Plakas would release the follow up album \u2018Smell The Magic\u2019 on the Sub Pop label and toured supporting Nirvana, sealing [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":14826,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"image","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[3031,4929,6410,6409],"class_list":["post-14825","post","type-post","status-publish","format-image","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-review","tag-cherry-red-records","tag-l7","tag-slash-records","tag-wargazm","post_format-post-format-image"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14825","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=14825"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14825\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14827,"href":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14825\/revisions\/14827"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/14826"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14825"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14825"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14825"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}