Starting off with some ripping guitar riffs right from the beginning, "I'll Be Around" kicks this album off with the energy and flair that remains constant throughout. Starting off with a male-fronted cut, the band quickly proves their ability to mix hard-hitting rock beats with some melodic pop. Adding to the dual guitar work is the rhythm section, which without the band would fall flat on their face. The persistent drums keep the beats thick and hearty, while the bass isn't afraid to flex it's muscle for the listener. "Hang Nail" introduces us to the female-fronted side of the band. Two faces to one band, the female side displays a lot more anger while releasing more tension in each track than the male side does. The song has less of the pop craft work, however the lyrics tend to impact the listener a bit more. Sometimes written for the female gender, if you listen close enough you'll be able to spin them around and relate them to your life no matter what sex you are. "Mary Jane" proves to be one of the themes on this album. So intense and heart felt, this song will impact all the listeners, especially the female listeners. A song about a plain old girl who wants to live in a 'magazine world,' after dreaming of a model's life she soon realizes that being herself is the best way she can go. Quick, and cutting straight to the point, this rock 'n' roll ditty will have you questioning the glamorous world in which we live in. "Won't Tell Why" brings back the male-fronted power-pop that shines. Instead of relying on the lyrical pull for the listener's attention, the song is structured around well-crafted hooks that drill into your mind and keep you on the edge. The drums help put the punch in each lick the guitar spits out, while the bass always spices up the stew. The vocals are clean and perfect for this type of music. Though a bit feminine at times, they always get the job done and add a nice compliment to the music. "Dream Girl" brings us back to the female angst that seems to be the crowd-pleasing topic prevalent throughout the female's parts of the music. Lines like "If I were a dream girl...I'd have a hope chest, and very large breasts too" seem to once again take a stab at the idea of perfection in women and the need for outer beauty. A very sensitive topic with many of the growing youths of today, SuperKreme seems to have found their audience and nailed it head on. Once again, the music is standard rock 'n' roll with mediocre, however, with the passion of the lyrics bleeding from every corner of the song, the music is brought up a notch and soon grows on you after a few listens. But don't fear, because the pop-chunk is always around the corner, with "Niagara" once again bringing forth the music that keeps you coming back. The male also has good lyrics, there just isn't the immediate appeal or throat slashing lyrics that instantly grab your attention like there is on the female-fronted numbers. Helping strengthen the vocals, the female does a great job of adding backing vocals to this track. Closing out the disc, the male-fronted power-pop finishes off everything just as it was started...catchy and full of life. A nice ending to a decent rock/power-pop disc.

The biggest problem with this disc is the fact that you're virtually listening to two different bands assuming the same identity. The male is more melodic and helps carve out more hooks, while the female throws out lines that hit you smack dab in the middle of the face and quickly gain your attention. Both are quite good, but the difference is there, making them easily standout as two different identities. It was for this reason I couldn't fully get into this disc. I'll give it a B.

Superjoint Ritual: Use Once and Destroy

Supersuckers / Electric Frankenstein: Splitsville Volume 1

[Issue Thirteen // October 1998]