Betsy
Betsy

THE REVIEW

1988. The self-proclaimed bitch of hard rock and metal, Betsy M. Weiss, a girl from the coast of New Jersey, arrives at her fifth official effort, and her first solo one. A past full of adventures and the union with the band Bitch (indeed) marked a career lacking the success it deserved, yet still under the eyes of many. Because it's dotted with points of militant activism in the music culture of the genre, which led her, between the '70s and '80s, to frequent the club scene of the boulevard and to integrate, together with the band, into the imported NWOBHM circuit that California naturally experienced with vinyls arriving from Europe.

As the release date of this self-titled album immediately suggests, we are in the middle of the street / glam and hard rock era, with many women having tried, and Betsy doesn't want to miss the chance to be part of the female hardcore scene. The album covers with Bitch clearly show a girl who, though not a natural phenomenon, has the physique du role and appears scantily clad or almost nude. The band's second album is even titled "The Bitch Is Back" and features her covering her chest dressed in nothing. Someone who dares, indeed. All the scenic prerequisites to make a bold attempt are there. Musically, one expected a step forward compared to Bitch. The various Lita Ford and Lee Aaron, who securely dominate the female market, have talent and ideas to spare.

Betsy shows her limitations right from the start when it comes to competing on the same level. The girl's voice evidently suits heavy metal more than the initial Californian-style hard rock, which is typically uncreative and introverted, a facsimile compared to the aforementioned divas. But not unattractive or boring because of this. There are, on the other hand, significant heavy influences, especially in the choruses, that earn respect and elevate this production as it progresses. Let's be clear from the start: the album isn't a dignified proposal that reveals the work behind it and the artist's good intentions with each track. We are not in the presence of rock and metal history but rather an album that distinguishes itself from other hard music divas by its more powerful sound. At the ready, set, go, there's "You Want It You Got It", raw, power-packed hard rock where it immediately feels like the voice would fit well on a classic heavy track. So much so that the score flows authoritatively to allow the voice's power to emerge, yet at very manageable tempos. The band is present, so is she. "You'll Never Get Out (Of This Love Alive)" follows the opener's path but gets noticeably harder, with low riffing guitars, a marching beat, and a very strong and shimmering chorus. The bridge of this track is undoubtedly the best part. Solos are standard. "The Devil Made You Do It" is heavy metal in its rawest form, influenced by early Motorhead and Girlschool. A track where Betsy scratches the surface with some decent results. Surely, there's moshing here. "Rock N' Roll Musician" resembles a track from Fool's Game by Mordred, with some connections to WASP. It's here that you give up the idea of finding something fundamentally original in the album. But some parts, like the chorus, convince you that efforts were made. "Cold Shot To The Heart" is a flamboyant and self-assured "here come the cavalry" like the early Motley Crue. The chorus remains heavy; this track is the best of the set Betsy offers. "Flesh And Blood" is classic rock bordering on AOR, lacking keyboards but again, it features a chorus specially crafted for the singer in a song that, coupled with the previous, raises the contest level. Following that is "Turn You Inside Out", an epic hard rock piece that confirms that the second block of tracks, the ones more personal and built around the singer's interpretation, work better and in some passages really well. "What Am I Gonna Do To You" is a track that winds up for a few seconds and then continues with the overwhelming charge of the Scorpions but without resembling them much. When you get to "Stand Up For Rock", the immediate sensation is that of listening to a tribute anthem to the genre, but perhaps there's more. The early forms of heavy metal combined with the Venom-esque hammering storm through this score, thrashing it at will. Too fast for my tastes, but true metalheads will like it. "Sunset Strut" is cheeky, and the first word of the title places it exactly where it deserves to be. A bass line, perhaps not too audacious, still manages to carry the guitar along while Betsy chants her shamanic tune. The CD also offers a bonus track, "Get Out", sawmill rock well made and a nice homage to her fans.

This too would be a 3.5 like the Sweet Teaze previously reviewed, but it's known that I don't compromise on sleaze and round down. In this case, however, given the genuineness and clear choice to make steel music, rounding up doesn't bother me at all.