Pussy Whipped
Though peers such as Hole's Courtney Love and Babes in Toyland's Kat Bjelland became more famous, no riot grrrl screamed with as much emotional force as Kathleen Hanna. Though it's frequently difficult to hear what she's saying, especially above the glorious din of Billy Karren's fierce guitar, Hanna declares herself a "self-fulfilling porno queen" on "Sugar," and threatens to "scratch out your eyes" with her "long red nails" in "Lil Red." The quartet's relentless hardcore is straight from the Dead Kennedys school, which means it's tough to take in large doses when you're in a reflective mood, but 1993'sPussy Whippedis one of the great punk albums of the '90s.--Steve Knopper