The Amps

Like it or not, Kim Deal didn't simply give the Breeders a new name when she put together the Amps, as this band is most certainly its own entity. Granted, it's got Deal's stamp all over it: rudimentary riffs that charge ahead, a certain off-kilter sense of song construction that she shares with former bandmate Black Francis, and an undeniable energy and enthusiastic love of rock that's always catching. But where the Breeders created slinky, accessible grooves that fit right into the public's consciousness (think Indie anthem "Cannonball"), the Amps instead go for a much more in-your-face approach, a more stripped-down and abrasive sound that's not exactly radio-ready. If she borrows from herself at all, it's from the Breeders' first and far less commercially successful album Pod. Regardless, the Amps truly rock. Take "Empty Glasses": like a bull in a china shop, Deal's surprisingly throaty, gritty vocal delivery (she sounds tougher than Kim Gordon) perfectly complements the rollicking, out-of-control riffs. Expert drumming and just the right amount of reckless abandon make the song a wild and worthwhile two-and-a-half minutes.