Ninevolt: April 19th, 2000 (4 out of 4 - Gotta Have It!)

For every action, there's an equal and opposite reaction. That's a law of physics. In music, thankfully, there's an equally stringent, if unwritten, law that states for every slick, over-produced, corporate-hyped marketing concept like Britney Spears or Mariah Carey, there's a real singer like Christine Ohlman; the Anti-Mariah, if you will.

Perhaps you've seen her singing with the "Saturday Night Live" Band, all towering blond beehive and funky but chic wardrobe. She's got a truckload of sass and a set of killer pipes to back up the attitude. Imagine Janis Joplin's bluster tempered with a better range, crossed with early Melissa Etheridge before she got her own ring in the Media Circus. She writes great songs (ten of the 13 here) and fronts a smokin' little trio called Rebel Montez (love that name) that rocks like there's no tomorrow. We're talkin' total package here, kids.

Highlights include guitarist Eric Fletcher's Keithisms on the title track. The greasy slide guitar-driven "When I Work My Thang On You," which revives the tried and true Bo Diddley beat. The cajun-flavored barroom stomp of "One More Thrill." Ohlman's got a great appreciation of history, too, as evidenced by her choice of covers: She turns in a great gender-bender version of the Stones' "Heart Of Stone," and a smoldering take of Ike Turner's "I Idolize You".

If you've had enough of diva-of-the-week pop devoid of any real substance, and would like to get into something genuine and honest, Christine Ohlman and Rebel Montez have an album for you. This is great stuff.

-Mike Piercy

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