Shake Yourself Awake

When the first song of rock band Ms. Led’s new album, Shake Yourself Awake, blasted on my stereo I became an instant fan. As a 35 year old woman who came of age in the ‘80s, I felt like I was taking a stroll down musical memory lane as I listened. Ms. Led’s music, fronted by lead singer Lesli Wood, is punk with a dash of ‘80s new wave. Wood possesses a voice that can sound sweet or angry, and is similar to Belinda Carlisle.

The two best songs on the album are the third and last tracks. The last song on the album, “Fools” is a ballad that allows Wood’s soprano voice to shine. “Fools” reprises the chorus from the third track, “Up to the Old Tricks,” which reminds me of something The Go Go’s would have recorded.

My only complaint with “Shake Yourself Awake” is that the lyrics are not included in the album, and not available on Ms. Led’s website. Ms. Led is touted as an “activist” band, but I really would not know as I could not understand the lyrics, typical of punk.

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