Think Led Zep in stilettos and smeared lipstick. As Deap Vally, the duo of Lindsey Troy (vocals/guitar) and Julie Edwards (drums) put out an eardrum-shattering sound that rivals the arena filling blunderbuss of the Plant/Page/Bonham/Jones quartet, Troy out-shrieking Plant at his hysterical best while ripping out Page-like power chords, Edwards pounding along behind firing off Bonham- worthy thunder boomers.
Although these ladies obviously studied the Led Zep method, they’re no clones. On the opener, “Lies,” Troy sneaks in some Heart-like Ann Wilson roars intermingled with her Plant yelps, pausing mid-song to deliver a rant against a ex-lover who broke his contract with her, vowing that he’ll pay tenfold: “ you gonna be alone when you grow old.”
“Gonna Make My Own Money” morphs Wilson and Page into a shredding Hart/Zep creature staggering around like it’s just chugged a gallon of Jim Beam and is looking for somebody to sink its claws into, defusing it at the end by dissolving into gales of laughter as the 2 and 1/2 minute diatribe abruptly shudders to a halt.
“End of the World” has a sinister Black Sabbath vibe, mitigated somewhat by the fact that it sounds like Troy keeps shrieking “Come on take a bath now” over the top of the metallic sludge.
Troy meanders into Hendrix territory on “Aint Fair,” yowling like scalded bobcat trying to scat.
Surely there’s a message here somewhere, but on record at least, these girls are just too intimidating to ask what’s its all about. But there’s really no point in analyzing this stuff. Maybe it ain’t all that deap, but it sure is fun to listen to.
By Grant Britt
