Hardknox

Hardknox

Jive Electro

Dubbed by NME as worse than Metallica in a bad mood, Hardknox and their self-titled debut album will probably prove to be the cutest music-induced headache you'll be privileged enough to dance to this fall. Generating pieces in a small bedroom studio, Hardknox puts together an energetic album that entertains and moves with raging rhythms, raps, grooves and tunes whose careful and expert blending make them cutting-edge but still strangely familiar. While the band (Lindy Layton and Steve P.) is determined to market its album and image as bad-ass and in-your-face, one can't help but be amused by the nasal, child-like voices that punctuate tracks such as "Coz I Can," "Fire Like This" and "Attitude" with phrases like, "There's no school tougher than Hardknox." Such youthful cries of liberation and power with the infusion of hip-hop, distortions and just plain noise, make for a refreshing, pulse-quickening album. Supported by a serious passion for good beats and (not so) threatening themes, "Bitch better have my money," this album spells instant fun. It's the perfect excuse to turn up the volume, cut the lights, set up some strobes and invite your friends to a hardcore, pumped-up version of Jane Fonda's workout. B+