L7
Bricks are Heavy

THE REVIEW

Perhaps the most important band of the foxcore movement, certainly the most artistically inspired. The L7 (pronounced "Hell's Heaven", a successful dichotomy) formed in the mid-'80s in a Los Angeles brimming with hair-metal fervor and created a musical amalgam that saw them reign in the following years as a flagship band for feminism and civil rights on one hand, and grunge-punk with heavy elements on the other.

Two key figures within the band: Suzi Gardner and Donita Sparks, both on guitar and vocals. The former was more inclined towards heavy music, while the latter leaned more towards grunge. "Bricks are Heavy," released in 1992, was supposed to be the band's definitive breakthrough, but unfortunately, the timing wasn't ideal for such a rise. Although it was crafted for commercial success (with an excessively trendy grunge characterizing much of the album's compositions), the record was overshadowed by other releases that year. Nevertheless, "Bricks are Heavy" is a well-crafted album and certainly marked a turning point in the history of female bands. Heavy-rock outbursts like "Diet Pill," "Everglade," and "Slide" coexist here with more immediate tracks like "Wargasm" (the most political song ever crafted by L7) and the grunge of "Monster." What makes the album historic and enticing, however, is the band's most famous track, one of those so-called "generational anthems": "Pretend We're Dead." Four simple chords and a highly meaningful lyric turn this track into a manifesto song that remains appreciated even after more than a decade. The recipe of L7 has always been to combine melody and grunge chants with metal flares, with sometimes more rhythmically driven nods to Black Sabbath, all presented with simplicity.

Indeed, technique is not the band's strong suit, but the explosive energy they inject into their albums is. "Bricks are Heavy" may not be the best according to critics, but it is certainly the most accessible and the most complete.