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's Pussy Whipped is one of the great punk albums of the '90s. --Steve Knopper
Review by Heather Phares
A more experimental follow-up from these punk rock furies. While there's still lots of vitriol, the songs are more varied and even catchy. "Rebel Girl" is a manifesto just waiting to be discovered, and the rest of the album sees the band occasionally adding fun to their recipe for punk chaos. A good starting point.
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