Bad. Bad. Bad.
Go to your room and don’t come out until you’re ready to apologize. Or at least until you know that Indie music doesn’t mean the place you have to wait until you hit the big time.
Indie music, for the most part, is smart music. Kickin Daisies seems to want to turn that idea completely around – their attitude epitomized by the insipid and insulting “College.” Forgive me for this, but I have to share some of the lyrics because I don’t have the words for this kind of vacuity.
“College is overrated
It’s like the cool thing
Everyone’s doing it
And I don’t think it’s fair
To have to prove yourself …”
and “… you don’t need a college degree
to be who you wanna be.
All you need is some faith and a dream
and to know you don’t have to go
’cause they say so.”
Wow. Would you like some fries with your music? Do I need to add that for many people the chance to go to college IS their, like, totally wildest dream?
I admit, musically, the Daisies don’t suck. Song writing and presentation come up way short. Until I hit “College,” I thought the songs were a bit juvenile, but nothing damning. The “cute” stage names – Shy, Deezal, Swan and Ray Dog – could be shed with a touch of maturity.
But the nail in the coffin of this review was when the band dared to “cover” Pat Benatar’s “Hit Me With Your Best Shot.” First thing: The song is not a sleazy duet with a male part. Second: If the band knew anything about the history of women in rock they would never have so savagely prostituted the meaning behind the lyrics. Third: “Before I put another notch in my lip gloss case” …? Doesn’t the band or any of the grown-ups around them have a clue about the significance of taking a symbol as feminine as a lipstick case and making it into a symbol of power and defiance? Lip gloss?
Stop me before I invoke the wrath of Tina Turner, Chrissie Hynde, Joan Jett and, yes, Suzi Quatro. Kickin Daisies – go learn something. Gain some weight. Take a few classes. Stupid is not Indie. Stupid is just plain stupid.
If you’re forced, go to www.kickindaisies.com.