Queen Adreena
Drink Me

"Drink Me" (2002) unleashes a gritty and aggressive sound, the second album by Queen Adreena, a band of undeniable caliber in the dense alternative scene, backed by the charismatic Katie Jane Garside (former Daisy Chainsaw and the project's core), confirming the value demonstrated in their solid debut, Taxidermy.

The energetic Katie screams with fury once again, and the effect, as shown by tracks like "Under A Floorboard World" or the grand single "Pretty Like Drugs", is always intense, sometimes devastating! If you add excellent musicians (among all, bassist Orson Wajih, impeccable, and former Clash drummer Pete Howard), it's clear that the result could only be excellent as a whole.

The sound, beyond its very valid production, is distorted, raw, and corrosive as needed. The melody isn't as pronounced as in its predecessor, but it still has its rightful role, just like the electronics, indispensable and present in quite substantial doses. The blonde leader shines in the most delirious and sick moments: "Kitty Collar Tight" is a singular bludgeon, "A Bed Of Roses" features powerful screams, "Siamese Almeida" is memorable for its excellent drumming and obsessive, psychotic bass riff.

However, what convinces the most are the more sensual and intricate moments, as in the case of the paced "Razorblade Sky" where Garside maneuvers almost childishly over a vaguely grunge base. Along the same lines are "My Silent Undoing" (acoustically-sick-minimalist ambient) and "Sleeping Pill", an alienating and soporific track where Katie becomes even more of an added value, reaching undeniably high levels with a heartfelt interpretation and a "breath" style reminiscent of Bjork, almost making one forget the absurd screams of "Hotel Aftershow", the latter being an experiment very close to nu-metal. The abrasively "Desert Lullaby" and "For I Am The Way" stand out as the most interesting pieces in terms of ideas (which are certainly not lacking in the rest of the platter, quite the reverse): the music is menacing and deviant, the voice whispered and naive. All sums up in two words: Queen Adreena.

A work with many facets and a remarkable degree of variety that never hurts and demonstrates the skill of a band that knows how to travel on different tracks, between rough, furious, and frantic moments, and others that are dreamy, experimental, and more reassuring. A great album to reconsider!