Otto's Daughter And Firebug - Two Bands On The Verge

This five-piece industrial/Goth band is based in New Jersey, but charismatic singer Jacqueline van Bierk originally hails from Germany. After receiving good press and college radio airplay for their first self-produced EP Void Of Course the band has released their second CD Renew a 17 track compendium of dark mixture of musical styles with an industrial overlay. Van Bierk’s husky voice carries shades of Siouxie Sioux and maintains a melodic edge in cuts like Wish. Accompanied by rock-steady guitar of Jim Robbins and Dan Esser as well as signature swirly keyboards dominant in Goth/industrial, this song is tailor made for the dance floor of an after-hours club.

The band’s website describes the Otto’s Daughter sound as industrial popcore, and that is an apt tag. Renew’s songs are heartfelt and melodic; the erotic anger is convincing and true to life. Many CDs penned by industrial acts run out of good ideas after the third or fourth song, but van Bierk and company keep the pace for 17 songs. When one track finishes, there’s a curiosity about the next, not a desire to hit the skip button. The eerie, haunted house machinations of Inside The Cell could inspire a classy horror film on its own. Cell segues into the guitar crunch of Stuck, the juxtaposition of styles especially refreshing. Hail is propelled by a beat that is as frothy as it can be and still claim the “industrial” moniker. It’s easy to imagine this song being tapped as a college radio hit.

Website: http://www.ottosdaughter.com

Firebug – Fragile (Buddah Belt Records)

Firebug is another female-fronted band with a bright future, if their last release Fragile is any indication. Leaving chilly Chicago for the sunnier (and more competitive) climes of L.A., singer/guitarist Juliette Tworsey, guitarist Jules Shapiro, bassist Jeff Eccles and drummer Ty Dennis, quickly mastered the Hollywood club scene. (They’ve played such infamous haunts as the Whiskey, the Opium Den, the Dragonfly and the Troubador.) It’s pop/rock reminiscent of the softer side of ‘70s icons like Heart and Pat Benetar, combined with the wise lyrics of a Juliana Hatfield or a similar alternative poetess. Though Firebug are clearly a rock band, their sound is more subdued than many bands on the club scene today, and palatable for a wide range of fans. Tworsey’s voice is suitably tender on the title track, then full of spunky vibrato on Wars To Win. The guitars and rhythm section work with the vocal lines throughout the CD, making Fragile a cohesive and even-tempered treat.

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