This first album from Portland rockers, Mental Hygiene, packs a punch. "Strangers"sets the tone as the first of eight original songs from this powerful all-female group. “We should play it cool/Play by the rules.” Actually, they don’t. And they shouldn’t. The band’s sound has been compared to Debbie Harry, Concrete Blonde, Chrissie Hynde, even Joan Jett. But many of the album’s tracks channel 4 Non Blondes, Siouxsie Sioux (of the 80s Banchees, and other punk incarnations), as well as some heavy sounds from 70s and 80s favorites. Mental Hygiene isn’t merely pulse and power, but offers melodic dissonance, too, with staccato explosions that punctuate. What they have to say is bold, and their music is perfectly married to their message. They’re not hardened, angry types - they just mean what they say and state what they know. Album opener "Strangers" pops with pulsing guitar and strong vocals, immediately followed by more of the same raw energy in "Trapped Again" (“You always seem to know/Go on baby go on/Come on get out of here/You got it all/And what’s it for”). This second track offers more of a punk sensibility, captured and rolled out with guitar. Third track "Road Trip" (“I need time/I need a place/I need a different fucking face”) offers a measured, calculated approach to the song’s battle cry, which culminates in a statement of fact rather than a plea, and certainly not a whine: “I need deliverance/I need a chance.” (Note to the uninitiated: Mental Hygiene does not ask permission. They don’t need to.) Next up, "Predator" offers edgy melody. Some guitar on this track harkens back to late 70s-era Styx. (Really.) The gritty notes wrap up a familiar storyline: an intimate view of bad choices, repeated. (“You’re no different than the rest/You are so easy to find/And I tell myself/This is the last time.”) Just like the bad choices, the pay off is repeated, too. (“It’ll feel just like the first time/I say we do it now.”) We are convinced. "Running Blind" offers a slower pace, with calm, solid vocals. (“I’m putting on my disguise/I’m running blind.”) And, this quieter track doesn’t disappoint at all – it offers balance and showcases the group’s range without wrecking the mood. It’s actually a perfect segue to "Cold As Stone", which opens with that dissonant, almost eerie tone that immediately sucks you right into the song. But, before you know it, a raucous blast alerts, only to carry you along with the rhythm. (“Can’t let go/Empty space is cold as stone.”) This track feels akin to Hole’s Celebrity Skin, a late 90s gem. "Green Eyes" is a ballad of longing. Sure, the guitar is simple and the lyrics sweet, but there’s that edge again. (“Everywhere I look I think of you/What am I supposed to do/Damn your eyes cuz I need you/Your eyes baby your eyes/Green eyes/How can I get to your green eyes.”) The story, of course, doesn’t end well. The song does. By the time "Mother Said No" (“But I did it anyway.”) rolls around, the group’s signature strumming and bass lines have become familiar territory. Part 70s glam rock, part 80s heavy metal, with a modern punk flair splashed about, especially through smart and sassy lyrics, Mental Hygiene delivers a powerful sound that you won’t want to ignore. Mental Hygiene’s "Trapped Again" Review by Eve Connell mizconnell.wordpress.com Mental Hygiene is Kay Betton on drums, Kristin Porter on vocals and rhythm guitar, and Elisabeth Kierkegaarde on lead guitar. Sammy Hudson, formerly of Everclear, plays bass on the album.