Electric Six have always been a rather hit-or-miss act, coming somewhat naturally out of their tendency to release a lot of material, almost an album every year. There are high points, like 2010’s Zodiac (QRO review), where the Detroit mock-rockers fire on all cylinders, and lower ones, such as the next year’s Heartbeats and Brainwaves (QRO review), where it feels like the same model once more. Bitch Don’t Let Me Die does lean towards being a repeat, but still has that E6 engine.
Yes, the songs on Bitch sound very much like Electric Six, with singer Dick Valentine’s (QRO interview) mock voice over swaggering rock and even disco. “Big Red Arthur”, for instance, is an Electric Six Christmas song that doesn’t stand out like earlier their Thanksgiving number, “Talking Turkey”. But that does mean you still get the Electric Six you’re looking for, including at least a few choice numbers near the end: “When Cowboys File For Divorce” is all the mock-rock that name implies, while the album closes with mock-sly anthem “Electric Six!”.
With so many records, it’s not surprising that each one will struggle stand out – especially considering they’ll always be in the shadow of both the band’s great live show (QRO live review) and early hit singles “Gay Bar” and “Danger! High Voltage” (QRO video). But Electric Six will never Die.
Electric Six – Electric Six!
