Thursday, 8 November 2018

CD review: Barbe-Q-Barbies - "Driven"

The following CD review was originally published in November 2015 in the print issue of "Utropia" (Issue no.7-41.Årgang), Northern Norway's biggest student magazine at that time.  


Heavier than ever and ready for the final breakthrough

TEXT: Stefanie Singh

Artist: Barbe-Q-Barbies
Album: Driven
Record Label: Sound Of Finland
Rating: 5/6 

Hard to believe, but true: The Barbe-Q-Barbies are in the Rock'n'Roll business for almost 15 years now. Hailing from Finland's capital Helsinki, the five "femme fatales" Niki Rock (Vocals), Kaisa (Guitar), Ekkis (Guitar), Niina (Drums) and Minttu (Bass) released their long awaited debut album "All Over You" in October 2010. Two and a half years later, the more radio-friendly "Breaking All The Rules" followed. Now, another two and a half years later, the third opus "Driven" hits the record stores, and it was unpredictable whether Finland's hottest girl rock band would continue to walk the path of more radio airplay and thus towards the alleged masses, or go "back to the rockier roots". Well, the good news is that they have opted for the latter. And the even better news is that "Driven" is even heavier than the very felicitous debut "All Over You".

Already the opener "Babylon" is quite a rock smasher and was wisely chosen as the first single release, followed by "Under My Skin". The third and brand new single release is "Stone Cold". While listening to this song, you can here and there imagine quite well how Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose would interpret it. That's quite an achievement because the AC/DC sound in songs like "Queen Deadly" accompanies the Barbe-Q-Barbies already since their debut.

With "Driven", Niki Rock & Co. have clearly opted for the rockier path en route to the final breakthrough, and that's a good thing. The majority of the audience at live concerts consists anyway of male metalheads and not of little girls. Norway's capital Oslo already had the pleasure. In Tromsø, you can at least order "Driven" easily via "Backbeat - Kaffe & Vinyl". 

 

No comments: