Review: 40 Years Later, Violent Femmes’ Self-titled Debut Album Remains Vital

Violent Femmes
Violent Femmes (Deluxe Edition)
(Craft Recordings)
5 out of 5 stars

Milwaukee three-piece Violent Femmes didn’t coin the term “folk-punk” and they might not have been the first to play it. But after their 1983 self-titled debut, these one-time street musicians made it an accepted genre few others had explored quite as definitively.

Nine studio sets followed, most in the same basic style introduced on that first release, although with some twists and turns through blues, country, jazz, and a slightly more polished approach. But the Gordon Gano-led outfit never bested that initial effort.

Gano’s anxious songs, most written before he turned 19, capture the angst and frustration of that transitional time, adding sing-along choruses for enduring tracks like “Gone Daddy Gone,” “Blister in the Sun,” and others. Delivered in an adenoidal, squawking voice capturing the uncertainty about life—especially sex—he felt when writing them, the songs resonated generally with college radio audiences who were the first to get on board.

Eventually, the Femmes’ unusual, often edgy folk-punk attracted a larger demographic, but it took time. The album that introduced them to the world in 1983 finally went Gold four years later, ultimately gaining Platinum status in 1991 when it belatedly hit the Billboard charts, albeit at an anemic No. 171.

A controversial licensing of “Blister in the Sun” to Wendy’s caused a rift and lawsuit from bassist/co-founder Brian Ritchie. Those wounds were eventually healed as the still-minimalist band, with a new drummer replacing founding percussionist Victor DeLorenzo, continues to play live shows.

Not surprisingly, the 40th anniversary of Violent Femmes is cause for a reissue. But anyone expecting a unique twist will be disappointed. Unlike the 20th anniversary edition in 2002, which was expanded and revitalized with demos, live tracks, and alternate versions, the track list for the new deluxe reissue remains the same. There are updated liner notes penned by esteemed journalist and longtime fan David Fricke (he provided the same service in on the 2005 release Permanent Record: The Very Best of Violent Femmes) and some new photos in the book.

However, since the 20th anniversary version is out of print and was never available on vinyl (as this version is), it’s the new standard of an album that still sounds fresh, vital and unlike anything else 40 years from its original appearance.