Music Review- Le Tigre

This sounds much like Sleater-Kinney and Bikini Kill and there's a good reason why- Kathleen Hanna of Bikini Kill is a founding member of Le Tigre, and they were originally formed to be her back up band.

There's a lot less screaming and shouting than Bikini Kill, and I find the slightly electronic feel to be easy to sing along to. The lyrics are much more understandable, too and I find it very cool that a lot of songs are remixes of people talking or chanting. On to the album by album!

Le Tigre, 1999.  "Hot Topic", "The Empty", "My My Metrocard", "Slideshow at Free University".
It seems that popular lesbian opinion considers "Hot Topic" to be a quintessential lesbian tune. It is riddled with feminists and declares that feminism will never be stopped. Plus, it is very fucking catchy. "The Empty" and "My My Metrocard" have very catchy beats and I find myself dancing to them incessantly. I find it odd, but I keep thinking of a fifties groove beat to all these songs, like an electronic rockabilly feel, but more feminism. "Slideshow at Free University" is a remix of a man talking, or maybe music centered around his words is more accurate. It intrigues me, and the ideas expressed in it are perfect and thought-provoking.

From The Desk of Mr. Lady, 2001. "They Want Us to Make a Symphony Out of the Sound of Women Swallowing Their Own Tongues", "Yr Critique", "All That Glitters".
"They (...)" is another remix of people speaking, with an emphasis on women saying "Um, and" as male interviewers fluster them. Danceable yet thought-provoking appears to be a specialty of Le Tigre, much more so than any other band I've ever heard. They don't shove politics down your throat (something I consider to be a weakness of Bikini Kill), but trick you into thinking about it more deeply. "Yr Critique" is a battle against W.I.A, Well-Intentioned Assholes, a plague upon society. "All That Glitters" is a remixed version of "The Empty" and I couldn't find a version of it, but it's worth a listen.

Feminist Sweepstakes, 2001. "Lt Tour Theme", "Dyke March 2001", "Well Well Well", "TGIF".
I included "Lt Tour Theme" because it's catchy for being a tour theme, and I love that they call themselves the band for the ladies and the fags. I want to dance with the fags, ladies, and them. "Dyke March 2001" is another remix of talking and chanting, apparently audio clips from a pride march. It's fucking catchy as hell, and I ended up singing along loudly with it in my car. Note- Do not sing "We recruit!" while driving, because that is a myth that needs to be banished from this area. "Well Well Well" gives off the impression of the members standing around talking to you, and maybe judging a little, but in perfectly groovy unison. "TGIF" should be the working man's anthem.

This Island, 2004. "After Dark", "Nanny Nanny Boo Boo", "Tell You Now", "So Excited".
"After Dark"- the booty call song is so much fun! This album shows a more polished sound, yet with a residual grittiness that almost feels forced, but it is still fantastic. There's a heavy dose of girl group and disco too, which I really love.  "Nanny Nanny Boo Boo" teases and challenges all the haters and it is sly and somewhat sexy, but not nearly so sexy as "So Excited". I got up and danced valiantly to that one, and I can't explain it, so just listen. "Tell You Now" is sweetly challenging, and politely explains that Le Tigre is fighting the war and won't be stopped, while nearly daring the misogynists to try some more.

Le Tigre is the best of Bikini Kill and  none of the bad, plus hefty doses of electronic pop that makes me happily groove along. I'm keeping every album, and not even deleting a song.