Album review: BARBE-Q-BARBIES – Borrowed Time

Dissonance Productions [Release date 17.05.19]

As fellow scribe Andy Nathan observed in his recent review of the Sweden AOR Convention, a fresh generation of Scandi bands now lead the pack in genres they were too young to have lived through first time around.

So what about sleaze/trash exponents Barbe-Q-Barbies, an all-female Finnish quintet?

Formed in 2002, and with three previous albums to their name – All Over You (2010), Breaking All The Rules (2013) and Driven (2015), their last release was an AC/DC, Kiss, and Motorhead flavoured outing, whereas Borrowed Time – their first with new guitarist Heidi Meri – focuses ‘on the songs rather than getting hooked on rock clichés … adding strong pop and even funk elements’.

And that’s exactly what they’ve done – in a very similar vein to Joanovarc – they’ve lost none of their sassy, locked and loaded attitude, but combined it with some strong pop sensibilities to deliver 32 minutes of radio friendly rock.

It’s a feisty affair, from the opener, title track and current single ‘Diz-funk-tional’ sounding like a sleazy ‘Spice Up Your Life’ (in a good way) to the foot-stomping funky closing rocker ‘Borrowed Time’, it’s a raunchy 32 minute ride of driving rhythms, big hooks, some excellent femme fatale vocals from singer Niki Rock, and some outstanding guitar work from Heid Meri who marries a suitably dirty tone with some fabulous lines.

Perhaps not yet the full package, but ones, along with Joanovarc, to watch. ***

Review by Pete Whalley

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