Dancing With Daggers

Album Review

Indie rock girl group Magneta Lane could very well be a modern day version of the Shangri-Las. They have the sass appeal and chops to match the intensity of their debut album, Dancing with Daggers. In 2006, pulling off an original and sincere rock sound is a difficult task. Sure, this is only Magneta Lane's first studio full-length album, but their debut EP already proved that they would be taken seriously. There is absolutely no room for skepticism. Produced by MSTRKRT (Death From Above 1979 bassist Jesse F. Keeler and Al-P, the duo zeroes in on Magneta Lane's fiery presentation; Lexi Valentine's sultry vocals and brash guitar style are tailored to Nadia King's bumptious drum rolls and French's creeping bass lines. Each song is snappy, playful, and stylish, and that's what makes Dancing with Daggers work so well. Magneta Lane do not go over the top. They keep things clean in the midst of daydreaming about the mystical and the magical—dreams of European fiestas ("Carnival in Spain"), cheating on love for the sake of fame ("Artistic Condition,") and looking into life's crystal ball ("Secrets Aren't So Bad.") Even the album's artwork portrays a mysterious, Victorian era-influenced sense of space and time, complete with Magneta Lane in colorful corsets and ruffles while rich reds and pinks dress the album's background. The album's debut single, an anthemic gunslinger entitled "Broken Plates," gallops in with blazing guitars, once again supporting Magneta Lane's earnest effort in making an interesting and entertaining rock sound. They lead the pack of new millennium girl groups while giving their male counterparts some fierce competition. Magneta Lane is YOUR band—smart and sexy like old Hollywood, and rebellious and surefire like classic punk rock. Don't let your subliminal self miss out on this brassy kind of rock & roll.