A rude awakening in more ways than one.

Artist: Morningwood
Album: s/t
Label: Capitol Records
Tracks: 11
Length: 41:18
Review by: Christopher Thomas!

It's tough to find a good female-fronted band. It always has been, and it always will be. The first track of Morningwood's self-titled debut makes you think twice: "Maybe I've found one! Maybe this will turn things around for the ladies!" But things quickly turn sour.

Morningwood – who have one of the best rock band names ever, by the way – succumb to the sparkle-and-fade formula of many female pop-rock albums: put your best foot forward and hope listeners don’t dig too deep. "Nu Rock," the first track is raucous in the truest sense of the word, challenging youngsters to demand more from their rock n roll. But the energy tapers off, dropping the rock for drum loops and tired clichés. As the album progresses, the lyrical content becomes more juvenile, eventually regressing to mindless, superficial cheeleading ("New York Girls," "Everybody Rules").

Singer Chantal Claret oozes with sex, which is disappointing only because she chooses to rely on the cliché sex-kitten archetype. It might work in a music video, but it doesn't hold up well under repeated listens. However, it must be said that "Take Off Your Clothes" may be the best baby-making song recorded in recent history. Claret follows closely in the footsteps of Elastica, choosing sexuality over quality and relying heavily on one or two songs to carry the record.

Morningwood's debut is disappointing to say the least, and after such a great opening track, the disappointment hurts that much more. If you like Elastica and Bis, you might check out Morningwood, but don’t be surprised if the end of the album finds you much less excited than you might expect.