Editorial Reviews
Music Review:
Music Review
Ultreia: Sur La Route De Saint-Jacques Compostelle
United Nations of Future Music, Vol. 2
Third Coast Born [Explicit Lyrics]
Thrust [Original recording remastered]
Thelonious Monk & Sonny Rollins
Amazon.com
The Donnas proved themselves more than apt at playing fast and fun party rock in a Ramones-y mold from their teenage get-go in 1998, then quickly amassed a huge following for their increasingly "pro," deliriously fun retro-rock. In 2002, they surprised lots of folks with Spend the Night, an album that showed more lyrical finesse as well as Cheap Trick/ Thin Lizzy-ish pop-rock flourishes. On 2004's Gold Medal, however, the wayback machine continues to spiral backwards, and the result is far less pleasurable. The songs plod along with little reward, most of them "going over like a lead zeppelin," to quote Keith Moon. There are some nice touches, from the Zombies-esque backing vocals on "Don’t Break Me Down" to the truly psychedelic guitar solo in "Out of My Hands." But in the end, Gold Medal will likely be remembered as the Donnas album with way too much cowbell on it. --Mike McGonigal
Album Description
The Donnas' eagerly awaited Gold Medal takes the top prize for vital, edgy, modern rock'n'roll at its finest. The quartet's 2002 break-through Atlantic debut, "Spend the Night," debuted in the #1 position on Billboard’s "Heatseekers" chart, fuelled by the radio/video hit, "Take It Off," massive critical acclaim, and high-profile TV performances on Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and Late Night with Conan O'Brien. Now the Donnas have raised the bar, as musicians and songwriters, to deliver the best work of their career. Produced by Butch Walker (Avril Lavigne, Injected), tracks like the provocative first single, "Fall Behind Me," and the poignant "Revolver" shimmer with rock energy, blasting off the blocks with newfound invention and intensity. With Gold Metal, the Donnas take an Olympian leap forward, setting a sparkling new standard for pure rock'n'roll brilliance.