Le Tigre
(Mr. Lady)
What’s black and white and red all over — and goes me-owww!? Those who said Cibo Matto listened ahead, so yr disqualified. No, the answer is the Bikini Kill-free Kathleen Hanna’s new band, Le Tigre. Dropping in mid-beat on the Eurotronic opener “Deceptacon” — pure New Wave plasticene — Hanna and her sisters, filmmaker Sadie Benning and zinester Johanna Fateman, go right for the crotch: “I can see yr disco dik is sucking my heart out of my mind,” followed by “I take you home, now watch me get you hot. Yr just a parrot when yr screaming ‘More crackers please, more crackers please.'” Then cums the cheery, cherry, chirping Cibo chorus, “Who took the Bomp from the Bompalompalomp? Who took the Ram from the Ramalamading Dong?” A drum machine never sounded so femme. If there’s any doubt in whose laps these ladies’ heads lay, “Hot Topic” follows with the opener with a VIP list: Carol Rama, Eleanor Antin, Yoko Ono, Carolle Schneeman, Gretchen Phillips, and naturally, Cibo Matto. Not every little thing is as punky ‘n’perky as “What’s Yr Take on Cassavetes” (“Misogynist? Genius?/ Alcoholic? Messiah?”), or as melancholy and dreamy as “Eau d’Bedroom Dancing,” but with the tag-team chorus/cry combo of “My My Metrocard” — “OH FUCK” (Giuliani), HE’S SUCH (a fucking jerk). SHUT DOWN (all the stripbars), WORKFARE does not work” — Le Tigre purrs along like a wretchedly spoiled pasha. Good kitty. Me-owww!!!
This article appears in February 18 • 2000.
