Viva Wisconsin
The Violent Femmes were discovered almost 20 years ago entertaining a line of folks waiting to get into a Pretenders concert. The simple acoustic guitar and bass plus spare percussion initially may have sounded out of place during the ascension of new wave, but the startlingly funViva Wisconsinshows that the Femmes added their own tilt to the cultural rudder. Signature tunes like "Blister in the Sun" and "Add It Up" are rock & roll staples and here become an invitation for the audience to sing along and clap--that's testament enough to the lasting power of the Femmes' 1982debutrelease. However, excellent musicianship abounds on lesser-known cuts like "Country Death Song," showcasing frontman Gordon Gano's dark but nasal whines. The sequencing is a bit unsatisfying (as if the Femmes would ever unload "Blister" four songs into a show). Still, this odyssey from new wave to classic rock shines.--Jason Josephes