Betty Blowtorch--Are You Man Enough?
Foodchain 2001
The saddest most frustrating stories in the annals of rock are those of the "what might've been" variety. Unfortunately, Betty Blowtorch is a band who falls into this category. During the end of their existence, the band split in half and, while out on the road finishing off tour commitments, singer/bassist Bianca Butthole died at the hands of a driver under the influence of alcohol. Alas, Are You Man Enough stands as a final memorial to "what might've been."
The Betty Blowtorch sound might be best described as a cross between L7 and Nashville Pussy, with a little "hair band" cheese sprinkled on for good measure. The way they mix these elements is more effective than practically all other similar attempts in that Betty Blowtorch always maintain their power, even when things start sounding somewhat accessible. As over-the-top as Are You Man Enough is, there is a constant feeling this was music which could've crossed over into a much larger public consciousness.
As far as the songwriting goes, this album couldn't have been more perfectly constructed. The aforementioned L7 influence is most prevalent on killer tracks like "Size Queen" (featuring a guest appearance from Vanilla Ice--don't let that scare you off) and "Shut Up And F*ck." However, Betty Blowtorch is actually at their best when they slow it down a notch and slip into hilarious storytelling on tracks like "I'm Ugly And I Don't Know Why" and "Big Hair, Broken Heart," with its shoutouts to the ultimate rock chick/hottie of all time, Lita Ford. There's a nice variety of material going on within the basic framework of Are You Man Enough which should, again, appeal to a wide variety of people.
You'd be hard pressed to find a more rocking and fun musical trip, played from the crotch with tongue always planted firmly in cheek, than what Betty Blowtorch gives you on this album. Having experienced this band live, I can assure you that you owe it to Bianca's memory to give this a listen--she was something really special and rocked like a beast. Betty Blowtorch could've ruled the world with Are You Man Enough and it probably would've been great. What might've been, indeed.
Get more info on this CD directly from FOODCHAIN
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