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Tiger! Tiger! - The Kind of Goodnight Review

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I recently watched the 1970's exploitation trilogy "Female Prisoner #701 Scorpion," starring Meiko Kaji immortalized as Sasori (Scorpion). Riddled with violence, sex, action and drama, this ahead-of-its-time series finds the same sort of hell-bent revenge that Kaji's earlier film "Lady Snowblood" resided on. The Kind of Goodnight � the Atlanta based Tiger! Tiger!'s second full length - is just the type of music you'd fully expect to hear in one of these exploitation films (especially revenge films considering the acid tongue lyrics Buffi Aguero so effortlessly croons). Or perhaps I should rephrase it; The Kind of Goodnight is a revenge film. Grief, betrayal and sheer triumph of will emanate throughout each song, and each song is a manic, obsessive tale diving headlong into the tensions that bind and repel the sexes. Aguero is undoubtedly the brooder of the off-kilter whose thematic clarity resides within the real life experiences that scarred her. And there's nothing worse then a woman scorned.

Vocalist, guitarist and principle songwriter Aguero is originally from Tampa, and three of her band mates � Susanne Gibooney (bass, vocals), Mario Colangelo (drums) and Shane Pringle (guitar, saxophone, vocals) - also hail from Florida. Organist Sam Levja is the only native Georgian in this Atlanta combo. Careening from 60's garage rock to punk to R&B to new wave and back, The Kind of Goodnight is a rousing blast of straight-on retro rock and roll.

Once opening number "Stand In" makes its way into listeners hearts there's no turning back. This up and at em' anthem springs things into motion with its steadfast charisma. Following is the remarkably sour "The First Thing", but you won't be wincing from this one. It's delightful use of crafty putdowns ("The first thing you should know about her, she's a liar and a cheat") will put a smile on any listeners face. Next up in line is the increasingly acidic "Black Daggers" which snarls and bites as organ grinds and groans accentuate Aguero's commanding barks. While on a different note, "Two By Two" explores one of Tiger! Tiger!'s more suppressed manifestations of anger. Once Levja's fingers begin hammering away on his organ, things begin to smolder. The fervent "The Kind of Goodnight" reveals new wave influences as it blasts spastic organ and guitar pangs while "Fake It" keeps the fire alive with more of what Tiger! Tiger! knows best, vengeance and hell of a lot of aggression. Containing fragments of "Black Daggers" is the confrontational "Cheap Imitation". This hell bent track is full of Leyja's staccato organ rhythms and grinds and Pringle's smooth sax as Aguero (the extortionist) belts out her most forthright thoughts. Call it a hunch, but I have to believe that "How Much Can You Take" is a credit-worthy bruise muse for just about every feministic revenge film, how about starting with "The Switchblade Sisters"? Thought the slow burn was over? Not quite yet, following is "Seaside Romance" a sweet tempo mood swing covered in holes Tiger! Tiger! dug themselves. Your best bet is to take your most wicked thoughts and patch up any aperture left begging for perpetual closure. How is that for being resilient! Taking lead vocals in "Misfortune, Bad Weather & Debt" is sax man Pringle living out a Springsteen moment in this tenacious number. Picking up where Pringle left off is Aguero in "So You Won't Deceive Me". But wait, is it just me or are Aguero's snarls vaguely similar to The White Stripes dreamboat, Jack White? This sounds like a song straight from White Blood Cells, goes to show how multifaceted Tiger! Tiger!'s music really is. And while sounds change, mood is right at the brink of tipping as The Kind of Goodnight visits every bad relationship in the book. Poppy self-examination "Sometimes" leaves dueling front woman Gibboney and Aguero focusing more so on triumph of will than on aggression. This song is pure ego. Say-it-like-it-is "Every Word Is True" prods at the very things most people are too timid to say, yet be better off said. "Pretty Perjury" follows suite to The Kind of Goodnight's sultry version of self-scrutiny. Along the ride are Pringle's fancy sax solo while organ, guitars and drums lazily hammer, strum and beat. The second that "Windows" begins it tangles itself into a ball of dramatic organ rhythms and short, ringing guitar fingering stressing the sass in Aguero's tough as nails sexiness. "Substantial Difference" is another exercise in catharsis, this red-hot number leaves no stone unturned.

Released by Austin, Texas-based Chicken Ranch Records, The Kind of Goodnight uncovers a perfect median to an album that could have easily spun out of control. Within the debris, there would have been songs too concentrated in aggression for there to be anything worth listening to. But here is an album that goes out of its way to uphold the sheer triumph of will and psychological vengeance. This is the kind of album that will make you want to go up to someone that did you wrong just so you can tell them "I don't care if you think you're right, I don't care if you think I'm wrong. Just shut up and listen�" This in turn, is the ground most revenge films tread upon (and if not, then the director was probably a tasteless yuppie). The need to speak out was as familiar a topic as it is today, and the act of doing so is equally meaningful whether it is targeted towards one individual or hundreds. But waiting for the right moment was what made things that much more interesting, same goes for The Kind of Goodnight. Like the proverb states, revenge is a dish best served cold.


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