Released By : Marucci Artist Entertainment
Genre : Rock
Links : www.nikibarr.com
Tracklist:
01. Sex Fiend
02. Worry
03. Ghosts
04. Surrender
05. Enemy
06. Fallen
07. Miles Away
08. Lips Like Crucifix
09. Enough
10. Love Yourself
These days, most female rock & metal vocalists fall into one of two main categories. Either they are the angelic and virginal type that use operatic nice vocals, or they fall on the entire other end of the scale and come across as man-hating feminists that think they are the best thing in the universe. This usual recipe has become quite tired and it’s refreshing every now and then to find a chick singer that doesn’t give a crap about the usual stuff and just wants to rock out. Niki Barr definitely comes across as one that doesn’t care about gender too much and just enjoys fronting a good rock band and it’s her champion personality as well as her great rock voice that will help her and her band of cohorts take over the globe.
Musically the album treads a line between a radio friendly version of modern hard rock and sleaze rock straight from the sunset strip of the eighties. A lot of the songs are simplistic in nature, but as we all know some of the greatest songs ever written were based around simplistic melodic songwriting. Comparisons here are a little tricky but I guess if you can imagine a cross between Kelly Clarkson, Evanescence and Vixen and add the sultriness of sexual front-ladies like Pat Benetar and Chrissie Amphlett and you’ll have a fair idea on what’s going on here.
The guitar work here has a certain swagger to it and I really like the set of effects on them. I have a small complaint about the production though… While the album sounds pretty good down low, when you crank up the volume like this sort of music demands the cracks start to show a little bit. All of the general effects are pretty good, especially the guitars and the vocals, but the overall mix-down work seems a little off to my ears.
Lyrically the album shows that Niki Barr is a very sexual being, and it’s nice to have that open book type policy that most chick singers refuse to get into. Yes there’s tales of woe and sadness, a little hint at the girl-power type thing and some more adventurous stuff too, but the overall general vibe of the album is sex and fun….what more could you ask for?
I was surprised to learn that this is Niki’s fifth studio album since debuting in 2003 with THE OTHER SIDE OF ME, and after completing this review I will be making a point to chase up some of her earlier work to see whether this album is a lucky fluke or if she has actually had it all this time… Seeing as though Niki and band have been asked to play eleven Armed Forces Entertainment tours so far and have played alongside a very respectable list of big bands I’d say that others have known all along about the skills of Niki Barr. If you like strong female leads and sexual modern rock music look no further than RADAR RADIO, it’s certainly one of my surprise finds and an album I’ll be listening to for a long time to come.
Written By ZeeZee
Rating : 9/10
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