Superchick

Superchick has come a long way from their garage band days. Their music has evolved from raw, girl-power pop punk to what they now dub as a “rock-a-tronic” sound. Their fourth full studio album may be called Rock What You Got, but it is heavily influenced by hip-hop and electronica. Fans who liked Superchick’s remix CD, Re:Generation, will likely enjoy the danceable beats and electronic effects on the new album. Keyboardist Max Hsu has skillfully produced this album, and the arrangements make use of everything from piano to strings to synthesizers.

Superchick’s lyrics have not evolved quite as much as their sound. At first, their songs were mostly quirky girl-power anthems aimed at high schoolers. Those lived on in Beauty From Pain, but there were also songs that explored darker themes. They emphasized that God is right there with us even when it’s hard to see Him. Rock What You Got is meant to be a fitting next chapter, about those who have seen the darkness and refused to stop shining their light. But while songs about tough girls and finding hope in hard times may be what Superchick does best, it would’ve been nice to see some different themes explored, too.

The title track is a little disappointing, especially lyrically – “Rock what you got / Light up the lot / No one can rock the way you rock.” The songwriting gets better from there, though. Superchick has sent three songs to radio from this album at once – “Hey Hey” for rock, “Hold” for pop, and “Crawl (Carry Me Through)” for adult contemporary. All three are great singles that will probably do well in their respective genres. For those looking for the rock in Rock What You Got, there are a few songs that stay true to that style. “Cross The Line” delves a little into the rebellious aspect of rock ‘n’ roll, daring listener to take chances and be bold for Christ – “I’m gonna ride like I’ve got the cops on my tail / I’m gonna live my life like I’m out on bail.” Tricia and Melissa Brock really pump up their vocals on tracks such as this one, and the rest of the band lets loose, too.

One stand-out track is “Breathe,” which features beautiful vocal harmonies similar to Imogen Heap in “Hide And Seek.” Its stirring lyrics convey the quiet desperation of watching a loved one fight cancer. “Don’t tell me this is goodbye / I won’t grieve – it’s not yet time / Each breath breathed is keeping hope alive.” There are only nine new songs here, even though there are 12 tracks – one is a throwaway prelude, and the last two tracks are a remix and an extended guitar solo. At first, the symphonic mix of “Stand in the Rain” seems like just a watered-down version of the original song from Beauty From Pain 1.1. But it soon reveals a different kind of intensity and beauty. The closing track, unfortunately, quickly goes from impressive to irritating. Did Superchick really have so little new music to work with that they had to resort to pointless filler?

Superchick has moved a little little further away from the punk rock sound that many loved about them, but they are more interesting and distinct because of it. A lot of the songs on their new album still invite the listener to crank up the volume and sing along with reckless abandon. Though it could have offered more in the way of lyrical growth – and new material – Rock What You Got is still a solid album offering both fun and substance.

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