GORE GORE GIRLS Issue #32

Get The Gore

By Anna Breshears
Published: June 1st, 2007 | 12:00am

Vocalist-guitarist Amy Surdu created Gore Gore Girls out of a fondness for old horror movies, girl groups, and ’70s rock, and the band has been kicking around Detroit in various permutations since the late ’90s. Though Gore Gore Girls act tough, Get The Gore, the band’s third release, is more pop than piss. Chock full of “yeahs,” “ooo’s,” and handclaps, these don’t-mess-with-me songs about love gone wrong, boys, and rocking out match modern grit with ’50s innocence.

Though Get The Gore lacks the scorching energy of Gore Gore Girls live shows, there’s still enough punch to rile some squares. Opener “Fox In A Box” is a sassy blast with fuzzed-out licks aplenty, and lead guitarist Maureen “The Hammer” Hammerle proves her mettle — and her love for Link Wray — on the intro stomp “The Hammer.” The mid-tempo psychedelic swagger of “Where Evil Grows” pays homage to the Headcoatees, while “Sweet Potato” is a delightful little ditty with pumping organ that deserves a dance step of its own. Get The Gore fails when the hooks disappear: “Casino,” “So Sophisticated,” and “Voodoo Doll” sound muddled and Surdu’s vocals fall flat without a melodic riff to hold onto.

Though Gore Gore Girls capture the garage-rock spirit, they don’t expand on the genre’s playbook. And while it’s unlikely they’ll be remembered 20 years from now, these girls sure know how to throw a great party.