McQueen - Break the Silence

  by Sarah Maybank

published: 21 / 1 / 2007

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Review

Sullen-faced and short of skirt, McQueen work that evil Lolita thing which has panting rock boys tussling with sweaty pervs for the all-important centre-front spot of every stage they step on to. Glowering out of the inner album sleeve with expressions that threaten "We’ll beat you to death with our straighteners as soon as look at you", they deliver sleek, machine-tooled hard raaawk, in which they vent about how sick they are of relationships, life, and all the other things hot girl rock bands get sick of (a topless waiters’ strike in the Viper Room perhaps ?). With half the tracks throbbing with Iron-Maiden-esque duh-duh-duh-duh-duh-duh-duh-duh guitar down-strokes, and the rest seething with speed-of-sound riffs, it’s up to vocalist Leah Duors to add texture. She obliges by adopting Brody Dalle’s she-bear growl ('Neurotic', 'Not For Sale'), a weary, hungover moan ('Don’t Know How To Break It To You') or a Slipknot-style howl ('Break The Silence', which is so fierce even the sunlight-shunning algae at the bottom of the Marianas Trench have reinforced defences in order to deter the band from ever visiting). There’s nothing about McQueen – sound or image-wise - that can’t be filed under ‘Joan Jett goes back to reform school’. Snigger as much as you want, though, indie kids. This lot excel at the hooky punk metal riffs that got everyone hot and bothered about Nirvana, and do it so professionally they make Ferrari look like a go-kart manufacturer. And now that metal proper is on the rise again, expect to seem them tumbling out of a limo and onto the Grammys red carpet in a tangle of JD bottles, royalty cheques and grovelling yes-people within the year.

Track Listing:-

1 Neurotic
2 Dirt
3 Running Out Of Things To Say
4 Break The Silence
5 Numb
6 The Line Went Dead
7 Blinded
8 Bitch
9 Not For Sale
10 (Don't Know How To) Break It To You
11 Running Out Of Things To Say (video)