Let’s just face it, kiddies. There’s no getting around the fact that ‘Girl Groups’ are, nine times out of ten, a disastrous misfire. Whether it’s the dopey shrill-and-pout of the Phil Spector-era go-go girl or the manufactured fury of the quickly fizzled-out Riot Grrrl coven, the all-female pop aggregation is far too often more sophistry than substance, more artifice than artistry. The result is a sort of weird curse that seems to pursue women who have dedicated themselves to rock & roll, even when they come through with a sound as cohesive and caustic as their reflexively accepted brethren—hell, just about the greatest chick combo of all time, The Runaways, were openly scorned by critics as being ‘phonies.’ Of course, the genuine sisters don’t let that stop them, and in the case of Long Beach-based “femme fatale†punk rockers Civet, we’re damn lucky the foursome pays no mind to the inevitable snipes and japes. With a roughhewn, biting sound that pays tribute to their big-beat forebears yet refuses to slip into the limited confines of connect-the-dots cliché, Civet (singer-strummer Liza Gravess, ax-woman Suzi Homewrecker, bassist Jacqui Valentine and drummer Danni Harrowyn) has been stalking, stomping and illuminating the underground club circuit for several years, and each time they get with it, the band seem to have gained formidable momentum, throwing down a volcanic mixture of hyper-sonic mayhem and crafty, un-ignorable messages of pure punk defiance. With a stack of new songs (to be featured on a disc forthcoming from their new home, the ever so appropriately named indie Hellcat) and more kick than a surface to air missile, Civet never fails to sizzle. Even at a goth-clothing store in the middle of the day. (Jonny Whiteside)
"Sick and tired of emo and pre-packaged punk? This album is your ticket out of all that crap. Civet are four beautiful girls playing in-your-face punk rock in the vein of the Distillers, L7, and the Runaways. Thirteen blissful tracks that take you into a life of violence, love, broken hearts, and anything else that has pissed them off throughout the years. "- Rating 4/ Rock Stars for Hire
"Brace yourself for this appropriately titled, ferociously hardcore/ gutter rawk bloodbath. Civet's "Massacre" is exceptionally well played, angry, broken, heart-felt street punk, with catchy memorable choruses, intensely personal lyrics, extremely passionate vocals and songs that are as cleverly, well arranged as Rancid's. The energy's awesome, the musicianship is super tight, the soul baring is gripping, potent, disturbing, brutal and ultimately undeniable. Vocalist Ms. Liza Graves voice grates like Courtney Loves, but she's so fucking heart on her sleeve damaged and geniunely pissed, unleashing wave after wave of bruised screaming indictments, pouring out raw hatred, it's like a trainwreck really." - Pepsi Sheen / SLEAZEGRINDER
"They label their music "femme fatale punk rock" and man do they mean what they say! Civet is a great, nasty, noisy punk rocking four piece from Southern California that ooze attitude and sexy sleaze while rocking out with complete punk abandon..." - THE ROCK N' ROLL REPORT
"Civet (properly pronounced ci-VETTE) was the band I had driven down to see. I only knew them from a burned CD that someone had given me, but right form the first listen I knew that I had found my new favorite band. The music takes the beautiful vocals of singer/guitarist Ms. Liza Graves and punches them in the gut with a killer band rounded with "sisters in punk" Suzi Homewrecker on guitar, Danni Jo on Drums, and Jacqui Valentine on bass. Civet plays really hard music with, for lack of a better term Brody/Distillers inspired vocals....when they took the stage you knew that you were witnessing pros." - CITIZINE
"There is nothing cooler than woman who can really rock, who can hold their own with the boys and in the world of Punk, women like that can be hard to find. Most girl bands tend to take the easy, well-worn road of pop punk and play it safe making bands like Civet refreshing. The bass and guitars on Massacre rock just as hard as any guys out there today. One thing that definately sets Civet apart from other girl bands, other thatn a more hard-core sound, is the lyrics. Where a lot of girls my write lyrics that border somewhere between whiney and sappy, Civet pours out songs that while they may be emotional, they aren't a bunch of chicks crying about the guy who hurt them and how they feel weak and abandoned. These are songs written by strong women who have no regrets about the decisions they've made and have no problem telling guys to fuck off when need be. The best example of this may be "Bleed and Burn", it rocks like a man, but tells you to go to hell as only a woman coul..OMAG
Angry punk girls of the world, it's time to hail Civet as your leader. What makes them worthy of your admiration? Just pick up a copy of MASSACRE and you'll hear it for yourself: kick-ass riotgrrl punk rok done in the bast possible way. The album leaves you wanting for nothing, except maybe for the release of another one as quickly as possible..." - SCRATCH
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