Women – Public Strain - LP

On their debut self-titled album, Women embraced sonic brashness that deeper examination revealed to be tinted with sly pop melody. With their second album "Public Strain", the band has honed a sound truthful to that reverb drenched noise while allowing the pop sensibilities to surface into clearer focus.  This exact balance of delicate and dense is a pervasive thread throughout the album, reflecting the contradiction of the band's environment buried in urban sprawl framed by prairie landscape. Whether twisting through the urgent krautrock of "Locust Valley", an exercise of harmony through simplicity, or climaxing with the bittersweet melody of "Eyesore", the album somehow builds luminous contrast out of a palette of grays.

A1        Can't You See
A2        Heat Distraction
A3        Narrow With The Hall
A4        Penal Colony
A5        Bells
A6        China Steps
B1        Untogether
B2        Drag Open
B3        Locust Valley
B4        Venice Lockjaw
B5        Eyesore