Record Exchange Boise

Reviews:

The Donnas didn't exactly come of age with last year's somewhat disappointingThe Donnas Turn 21 but it was good enough to get them courted by numerouslabels and eventually signed to Atlantic. So what's changed for the all-girl,all-rock, all-party band after a jump to the major leagues? Ultimately, notmuch except for perhaps a new stylist and a fuller sound courtesy of �bermixerChris Lord-Alge. They're still harassing uppity males with clever coupletslike those of opener "It's on the Rocks": "I just had totell the all the boys/ that you'd rather have a mai tai/ than a tall glassof Bud Dry." Hipster rock guys aren't safe either, drawing the Donnas'ire on "Dirty Denim": "You paid $200 to look like that?/ Yououghtta check out the Laundromat!"

Despite the decent wisecracks, after five LPs of the same rudimentary rock-metalformula, Spend the Night can't help but sound a little tired. Withguitarist Donna R.'s emergent Angus-isms and Donna A.'s continuallyrical double entendres, The Donnas are dangerously close to becoming the femalerendition of AC/DC�a modus operandi that the Aussie seniors have provendoesn't age so well.

But just when you think you've grown out of your puppy love crushes onthem, The Donnas go and give you man-stealing anthem "Too Bad About YourGirl." The strangely dynamic little number is clearly the best song thePalo Alto quartet has ever written, and not just because Donna A rhymes Guggenheimwith Anaheim. But that certainly helps.