Spalding Rockwell - Kate
by Gilbert Blecken
published: 30 / 8 / 2004

Label:
Defiant Records
Format: CD
intro
Impressive, versatile Electroclash on debut album from girl duo, Spalding Rockwell, which sounds like "Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders recording songs with Suicide"
Most of today’s bands which are considered to be Electroclash or Electropop don't give you the chance to love them 100 percent. Either they have a strong image like Crossover or Fischerspooner but fail to produce consistent albums or they do brilliant records like Chicks On Speed but couldn’t be recognized by anyone offstage. It may have taken a while, but Spalding Rockwell is finally one of those rare bands to give you best of both worlds – fantastic music and great looks. Musically, they are the missing link between Joan Jett, Client and Peaches, which means they are sometimes a bit punky, but are usually definitely settled in the electronic area. What will strike you immediately is that Mary Louise Platt and Nicole Lombardi both have very distinctive, sensual-seductive voices – think of Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders recording songs with Suicide and you probably get the picture. They do have a large variety of style as well, but slow, heavy electronic tracks like 'Vicious', 'Nina' or 'Touch It' are probably what they do best. 'Kate' is not a perfect release (the track 'Masha' for example only sounds like a rough demo and definitely needs a bit more production), but the highlights of this album (there are many) are much more exciting than anything else you could hear right now. Spalding Rockwell may even seem to be destined for greater things, but for now don’t miss this excellent debut.
Track Listing:-
1 Ingrid2 Masha
3 Vicious
4 Boy
5 Nina
6 Kissing
7 Flake
8 Karahi
9 Cocaine
10 Bad Bad Thing
11 Touch It
12 Outro
most viewed articles
current edition
Peter Doherty - Blackheath Halls, Blackheath and Palace Halls, Watford, 18/3/2025 and 21/3/2025Armory Show - Interview with Richard Jobson
Liz Mitchell - Interview
Lauren Mayberry - Photoscapes
Deb Googe and Cara Tivey - Interview
Max Bianco and the BlueHearts - Troubadour, London, 29/3/2025
Sukie Smith - Interview
Garfunkel and Garfunkel Jr. - Interview
Maarten Schiethart - Vinyl Stories
Clive Langer - Interview
most viewed reviews
current edition
Davey Woodward - Mumbo in the JumboNigel Stonier - Wolf Notes
Wings - Venus and Mars
Kate Daisy Grant and Nick Pynn - Songs For The Trees
Only Child - Holy Ghosts
Neil Campbell - The Turnaround
Philip Jeays - Victoria
Darkness - Dreams On Toast
Suzanne Vega - Flying With Angels
Charles Ellsworth - Cosmic Cannon Fodder
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart