Review Revue: L7 - Smell the Magic

Welcome to Review Revue, where every Thursday I dig through the KEXP stacks to share DJ reviews and comments written on the covers of LPs (and occasionally CDs) in the ’80s and ’90s, when the station was called KCMU, the DJs were volunteers, and people shared their opinions on little white labels instead of the internet.

Yet again, after over a decade of covering this beat, I find myself shocked at a glaring omission — L7! How have I never shared an album by this rowdy crew of hard-rocking women before? Well, it's better late than never - and hey, maybe my timing is perfect. If I'd written this several years ago, L7 would have been inactive, without much news. But now they're alive and touring, with a documentary film to their name and a new album in the works! Obviously, it's the perfect time to jump on the L7 train and smell the magic.

The DJ comments on the band's second album are generally positive but contain many excellent examples of how people (mostly men) can be incredibly sexist and dismissive toward women musicians even while praising them. It's like a special, horrible superpower we have. I know this was 28 years ago, but we could all still use the reminder: when in doubt, just write about the music and try not to be awful.