Singles

The Rrrs - My Valentino/Forbidden Kiss

Miss Fliss 15/08/2008

Rating: 3/5

Introducing the colourfully named Maxima Moog(vocals/guitar), Rowan Gifted (guitar), Les Woods (bass), and Tom Rocket (drums/backing vox). Hailing from the lesser rock trail of Leamington Spa, The Rrrs sound as "grrr" as their name, with a speciality in confident shouty vocals
over a rhythmic sensation of bonkers fast power pop/punk.

Their recent single 'My Valentino' is a great pop punch blast of glimmering indie. Vocals come from Singapore-native Sharliza, who is part playful pop sass, part 70s punk snarl. There's a great 1990s "Evening Session" vibe to second song 'Forbidden Kiss' and you can imagine The Rrr's touring with the likes of Angelica. There's also a happy-go-lucky, kids' cartoon fun a la Shonen Knife attitude to their schtick, mixed wildly with plenty of 60s girl-group-esque "doo doo"s and "la la"s'.

The final track of their promo CD is the first I have heard about "the credit crunch", and the topic and lyrics ("giving up on punk /to save up for a deposit / to become a first-time home buyer" is as laughable written down as it sounds on record) grate in a cliched way, but the music holds up and glosses over.

Singer Maxima/Sharzilla's elongated enunciation and over-enthused, inescapably in-your-face delivery are an acquired taste, I must say, but if you can get over her one-off singing style, the music is a series of 2 and 3 minute punk-punctuated stabs to the senses with killer hooks.