Because I’m Awesome

Confession time: I’m a child of the '80s, but I never listened to Madonna, Prince or even the Talking Heads. I like to think I came of age with Gwen Stefani, Tori Amos and, well, Ani Difranco. Even when I was younger, lyrics took precedence over sound, substance or production, and I think these are the reasons why the first riff of The Dollyrots new album, Because I’m Awesome, was instantly appealing.

With quick guitars, a girl singer and short, snappy songs, I was immediately hooked. The Dollyrots call themselves a punk band, but I hear similarities to Liz Phair, Sleater-Kinney and, of course, Joan Jett, especially when these three artists were at the pinnacle of their success. There is a formula here, but there is nothing watered down about The Dollyrots. These are very radio-friendly songs about dangerous crushes, best friends, heartache and leaving town (specifically L.A.).

Speaking of L.A., The Dollyrots hail from the City of Angels. This is their second album, and it’s distributed by Blackheart Records, the label owned by Joan Jett. I don’t hear anything new here, but I’m okay with that. Working within the pop punk genre, The Dollyrots have mastered the call-and-response chorus, and I love singing along hoping their next album will channel Liz Phair. Don’t miss the title track!

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