Supergroups can go one of two ways: they can sink under the weight of their lofty expectations, or they can be every last bit as awesome as you would expect them to be. Where does that leave Brijitte West and the Greenowskis? Well, if I'm writing about them, you know the answer! The band's self-titled debut album is out on Rum Bar Records, and it's an absolute scorcher.
Brijitte West, of course, fronted the mighty NY Loose — one of the bands that defined the greatness and grandeur of that legendary '90s New York City punk rock scene. I've spent my whole adult life ranting and raving about bands that "should have been huge." But NY Loose in particular should have been huge. West has teamed up with punk rock lifer Lester Greenowski (Landslide Ladies, Honest John Plain) and an Italian-based band featuring Wilko Zanni from Rats on guitar. This album isn't trying to relive past glories; it's more about writing a new chapter. But 100%, anyone who loved NY Loose will love Brijitte West and the Greenowskis. This band blends gritty and powerful '70s-style punk rock with a classic pop sensibility. The music and lyrics were a full-band collaboration, and you can feel the love all these individuals have for the heyday of glam/punk/rock 'n' roll. Once this sort of music gets in your soul, it's there forever. Brijitte West and the Greenowskis is an album made for true believers by true believers. If you worship at the church where Johnny Thunders, the Dead Boys, and the Ramones are the holy trinity, this is your kind of music. And West sounds truly fantastic — her voice aging like fine wine and her heart so clearly in it as she tears into these hard-hitting, hook-laden tunes.
Brijitte West and the Greenowskis waste little time introducing themselves to the world. "Doin' Alright," which dishes good-old down-and-dirty hard rock 'n' roll, is a proper mission statement to open this firecracker of an album. The snappy rocker "My Lower East Side" is a memoir of that legendary '90s New York punk rock scene — a paean to a special moment in time that is long gone but will never be forgotten. And with that 1-2 punch kicking things off, this rock 'n' roll party is in full swing with nothing to stop it. Across these 12 tracks, you'll hear everything from pure ripping punk rock ("Some Body," "Shoot Shoot Shoot," "Brutta Bimba Bella") to proper power pop ("Sorry I've Been a Stranger," "Don't Hurt Yourself," "Default") to straight-up rock 'n' roll ("Kill Me, It's Saturday Night") to wall-of-sound ballads ("Nobody Won"). The album's two covers show you where this band's heart is. "All This And More" is a faithful, full-throttle rendition of the Dead Boys classic, while "Luckiest Girl" is an acoustic reworking of an early NY Loose B-side co-written by Richard Bacchus.
Closing the album with "Luckiest Girl" creates a wonderful full-circle moment. Brijitte West is by no means trying to turn the clock back 30 years, but she's not running from the legacy of NY Loose, either. "In a lot of ways, I feel this is the best album I have ever made," she says. "It feels like the NY Loose album that never was, yet a seamless collaboration with the best I have ever worked with." That is perfectly stated. She found the perfect group of musicians to work with on this project. The magic these folks have created reflects not just chemistry, talent, and experience but also a shared vision for the kind of music that still needs to exist in this world. There's not a single release that Malibu Lou puts out that he doesn't endorse with genuine, 100% enthusiasm. But from the moment he first messaged me about putting out this record, you could tell that it has an extra-special place in his heart. Without reservation, he announced that this is the Rum Bar release of the century. I imagine many people will have a similar reaction. Lou's exact words were, "If this does not drive you ape shit, then I will eat both my left and right shoes! I can't think of finer words to leave you with.
https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/brijitte-west-and-the-greenowskis
https://www.brijittewest.com/
https://www.instagram.com/brijittewest/
https://www.facebook.com/brijittewestofficial
https://lestergreenowski.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/RumBarRecords/
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