Reviews

I know, I know, everything that was old at some point becomes new again, in some way, shape, or form. I also know that nothing is wholly original. It's either an imitation or a calculated departure from something that came before it. Still, most of it is influenced by the older style, not a direct copy. The old appears again, only with a new look. Not so with The Clorox Girls, whose 70s pop-punk-rock combo gives (almost) no indication that it was produced any time during the last twenty-five years.
 
I'm not trying to harp on 70s pop-punk-rock—a lot of cool sounds came out of that scene—but I always question a band that doesn't move the sound in a new direction. Aren't they basically just covering an old sound with new words…even if it was designed to piss of crust punks?
 
My negativity towards the concept aside, The Clorox Girls (actually three dudes, from Oregon) pull off their sound incredibly well and some of these tunes are unbelievably catchy, but they're also comprised of fairly simplistic chord progressions and repetitive lyrics, bringing to mind The Ramones. Still, the "ba-la-la-la" of "Le Banana Split" (actually a cover of a 70s hit) unavoidably brings to mind "The Tra-la-la Song" by The Banana Splits. Rather obvious, I know. This isn't the type of music that's going to make you think a whole hell of a lot. The simplicity of the lyrics basically bash you over the head with a brick, and then the catchy (catchy, catchy, catchy) pop sound makes up for it by handing you one of those giant, multi-colored lollypops. Keyboards, clapping, and more get piled on to create endless pop hooks over this 27-minute effort.
 
Ultimately, it seems to be the production that makes the band sound old-school, and I wouldn't be surprised if they're much more dynamic live. It's a quiet record, which sort of stifles the opportunity for any major dynamic changes. The band seems to be aiming for simple and catchy, though, and that's exactly what listeners get.
 
Oh, if you're into French stuff, so is the band, so yeah. If you're into something completely fresh, you might want to look elsewhere. If you're into that simple 70s pop-punk-rock sound, performed by a new band, you'll likely be screaming "J'aime les filles, aussi! J'aime les filles <<Clorox>>!!!"