Jennie Bomb
From theRunawaysto theDonnas, the garage has served as a safe haven for women who would ratherberock stars than sleep with them. The latest quartet of girls to strap on electric guitars, throw on a pair of scuffed-up Converse sneakers, and howl like maniacs comes from the small town of Robertsfors, Sweden. Like the finest work of fellow Swedes theHivesandDivision of Laura Lee, Sahara Hotnights' brash debut album runs exclusively on heavy riffs and even heavier attitude. They roll out the hairy '70s punk guitars for "Alright Alright (Here's My Fist, Where's the Fight?)," talks hair-yanking trash on "Only the Fakes Survive," and does a bang-up earlyBlondietribute with "Keep Up the Speed." Explosive, indeed.--Aidin Vaziri