L7 Albums (7)
'Live: Omaha to Osaka'
Release Date 12/15/1998
Tracks 16
Label Man's Ruin
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Until late 1998, bootlegs were the only place that L7 fans could go if they wanted to hear live recordings by the band. L7 wasn't bootlegged as extensively as Hole, but the alternative rockers certainly weren't ignored by them either. The first live L7 album that wasn't a bootleg came in December, 1998, when Man's Ruin put out Live: Omaha to Osaka. This generally excellent CD, which was recorded at clubs in Omaha, NE and Osaka, Japan, gets off to an amusing start when a high school marching band from Omaha performs a medley of L7 favorites. The high schoolers provide a good laugh, but the real fun comes when L7 takes the stage and tears into such punk-meets-metal gems as "Bad Things," "Death Wish," "Non-Existent Patricia" and "Slide." Unfortunately for L7, the Omaha gig came on a night when Megadeth was also playing that city. After a gutsy version of "Shitlist," the CD takes us to Osaka for five songs, including "Fast And Frightening," "Andres" and the goofy "Loranza, Giada, Allesandra." The sound quality isn't as sharp on the Osaka material as it is on the Omaha recordings, although L7 sounds equally inspired in the Japanese city. Live: Omaha to Osaka isn't perfect, but the disc's strengths by far outweigh its weaknesses -- and it was nice to finally hear a live L7 album that wasn't a bootleg. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
'The Beauty Process: Triple Platinum'
Release Date 2/25/1997
Tracks 12
Label Reprise
See Album Tracklist and Review
'Hungry for Stink'
Release Date 1/1/1994
Tracks 12
Label Slash/Reprise
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
While L7 sounds tremendous on Hungry for Stink, the band has neglected to write any songs. But when you're caught in the middle of a massive guitar grind this good, songs don't matter much. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
L7's eponymous debut finds the band just beginning to get their sea legs; their trademark grungy fusion of punk and metal isn't quite fully formed yet, often skewing heavily toward one side of the equation or the other. That can sometimes give the album a schizophrenic feel; one minute they're sneering punk goddesses, the next they're offering hard-partying odes to rock & roll that could have been ripped from a Runaways record. But even if L7 doesn't quite jell into a cohesive album, visceral moments like opener "Bite the Wax Tadpole" (the Chinese translation of Coca Cola) make it worth investigating by devoted fans of the band's sludgy grind. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Though they hailed from sunny L.A., L7 became the poster girls for grunge in 1992, with the meteoric success of their third album, Bricks Are Heavy. While their previous efforts had sounded sloppy and uneven, Nevermind producer Butch Vig helped the girls obtain a tight, compact sound on Bricks, pushing them to focus on their songwriting to boot. After all, great albums need great songs, and that's exactly what you have here. Mosh-pit anthem "Everglade" (sung by bassist Jennifer Finch) will simply knock you on your ass, and big single "Pretend We're Dead" is so good that its tough swagger harks back to seminal bad girl anthems like Joan Jett's "I Love Rock'n'Roll," Pat Benatar's "Hit Me With Your Best Shot," and even the Go-Go's -- well, maybe not the Go-Go's. The sardonic "Diet Pill" tackles female compulsions with clever irony, and even when they let their mega-riffing take over on such full-throttle stomps as "Wargasm," "Mr. Integrity," and "Shitlist," L7 still manage to imbue their lyrics with humor and substance. Inevitably, a few songs (especially "Slide") tend to push the Nirvana envelope just a tad, but Vig's involvement aside, these four ladies had been doing this kind of thing for as long as the Seattle trio. L7's crowning achievement, Bricks Are Heavy sadly proved to be an impossible act to follow, and the band gradually faded into obscurity thereafter. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
On 1991's Smell the Magic, L7 begins to find the sense of melody to complement its distorted punk guitar assault. The band deserves ultimate praise for writing from a completely female perspective at all times, and the fabulous "Fast and Frightening" just might be the ultimate "riot grrrl" anthem. "Shove" pleads the case for mosh pit etiquette, while "Just Like Me" demands equal rights (and vices) for male and female rock stars. The self-mocking "Broomstick" celebrates any "rock & roll hags" accusations with a sense of humor. "'Till the Wheels Fall Off" is another standout, thanks to its relentless descending riff, and points the way toward the band's breakthrough album, Bricks Are Heavy. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, All Music Guide
