Pulp Vixen
Toxic
Yellow Snow Records

By judging the name of the band and the cover of this CD I expected some cartoonish heavy band. Wrong. Pulp Vixen are the heroines of Tromsø I guess. An all-girl group showing muscles and creative skills with Toxic, their debut album. Pulp Vixen are Line Saus (vox, guitar), Mona Helleland Varpe (vox, perc, theremin, melodica), Therese Winther-Hansen (bass), Anne Mette Sætra (guitars) and Kathrine Wold (drums). Supervixens?

Toxic was recorded over two periods in 1999 and 2000, and 3 of the songs were included on the Yellow Snow compilation album, Yellow Snow Compilation vol. 1. Pulp Vixen operate in the dark areas of rock, and they sound somewhat like a rougher blend of Belly, or Throwing Muses, or maybe a gothic Sleater-Kinney. Anyway, Unlike Me opens with a twang, and one second I think of Chris Isaak!? However, the steady, bubbling bass (a signature throughout the album) plus of course the great voice of singer Line, along with the drive of the rest of the band, should make eyebrows raise. Running is more straight-floating, while Temple Song is an exotic-gothic tale. One of the best songs is called I'm Not Sharing. It's a calmer track, and could (should!) definitely become a radio hit. Still my biggest favorite is Me And Bettie, a more up-beat song, catchy as hell with a great guitar line! The title track is playing with mystique, a doomy carnival, spinning and sparkling like bonfire in the dark. Of the 9 songs there aren't many weak moments. OK, now and then I find the guitars to be maybe a bit to heavy-metalish, but Pulp Vixen are aiming for the perfect fuzz.

A stunning debut, and I'm awaiting to hear some more sounds from the north. Visit lovely Tromsø and you might get the chance to attend a live affair with them.

Distribution in Norway: Tuba!

Copyright © 2001 Håvard Oppøyen