Hell's Belles ~ We Salute You (EP) (album review) ... AC/DC with balls!

Style: Hard Rock, Tribute
Label: self-released
Year: 2005
Home: Seattle

Members: Adrian Conner ~ lead guitar
Jamie Nova ~ vocals
Mandy Reed ~ bass/backing vocals
Lisa Brisbois ~ rhythm guitar/vocals
Melodie Zapata ~ drums

   I bought this album after seeing in concert this tribute band of 5 girls doing their best AC/DC imitation. & when I say best imitation I mean it was so good I was willing to buy a CD of songs I already had done almost note-per-note perfect by imitators. & when I say note-per-note perfect I mean that I've played this EP, the only release by this creatively named outfit, back to back with the original. Tribute bands are funny. You don't listen to them for creativity, you listen to them for duplication skills of bands you can't see live otherwise. If they imitate well they're good. Interpretation can be a death sentence or a bad joke if it goes to far. When you have 5 girls imitating the husky-voiced blues music of an Australian band of nearly 40 years interpretation is hard to avoid. But, these girls do well. The lead singer wears a cap & shakes her fist like Brian Johnson, the lead guitarist dances across the stage with all the right moves with a schoolgirl's skirt while the rhythm section stays immobile in the background. It's a perfect gender bending reinterpretation that stays series & not falling into a joke. There is a slight difference in the singing, of course, but what's here is gruff & closer to Johnson's rasp than I've heard with any other band. The female vocal chords might just be the best for imitating AC/DC. This band has been officially recognized by AC/DC & deserves the accolades. What more can be said? The only funny thing about the group is the overly masculine nature of so much of AC/DC lyrical output. But, if you don't mind a girl singing 'Big Balls' or 'You Shook Me All Night Long' than be prepared to rock all night long. Though, I'll confess that I've always wanted to be in a tribute band. There's something alluring about playing fav songs & imitating a fav artist. I once saw an Adam Ant tribute band advertising on Craig's List for a singer - they even provided the costumes - but I'm way too tall & I'm not that big of a fan. Oh well, maybe the Talking Heads cover band might take me.