The Donnas: Get Skintight

There's a lot of hype about The Donnas right now, but it's been hard to glean much information about the band besides the fact that it consists of four barely post-high-school women who play elemental rock in the tradition of the Ramones and Runaways. And while that much-discussed combination of looks and hooks—with lots of tough, attitude-driven songs about partying, boys, and break-ups—is certainly compelling, it doesn't really capture what's so great about Get Skintight, The Donnas' first album since shedding Svengali-esque songwriter and producer Darren Raffelli. Produced with an emphasis on bare essentials by Redd Kross' Jeff and Steve McDonald, Get Skintight's consistency is remarkable, as it rambles and rumbles through material that's sublimely catchy without sacrificing the raw, speedy energy of "Hook It Up," "Party Action," and a fine cover of Mötley Crüe's "Too Fast For Love." It's all formulaic, of course, but any monotony here is sidestepped by great hooks and surprisingly sharp lyrics, from the irresistible "Doin' donuts on my neighbor's lawn / rock 'n' roll all weekend long" of "Doin' Donuts" to the priceless "You thought I would be brokenhearted / Maybe I would if you weren't so retarded" of "I Didn't Like You Anyway." Get Skintight's terrific songs find The Donnas transcending mere novelty and getting slicker and slicker in the best possible way.