Le Tigre – Le Tigre (1999)

(Lovely Logo by Sarca @ caughtmegaming)

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Songstress #1: Loretta Lynn

Songstress #2: Neneh Cherry

Songstress #3: Dusty Springfield

Songstress #4: Dolly Parton

Songstress(es) #5: Le Tigre

[Album 425/1001]

If I’d only listened to Le Tigre’s self-titled debut once, this would have been a very different post.

It likely would have featured a Zoolander ‘Le Tigre’ pose and general indifference in terms of any specific comments.

Though I may have quoted their tune The The Empty, “I went to your concert and I didn’t feel anything,” as representative of my experience.

Which may be partly why I insist on listening to records twice (or more) as first impressions can be deceiving.

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At some point during the second through fifth listens, I changed my tune.

The at times blasé vocal delivery started to contrast nicely with the considerably more energetic accompaniment.

I started to pay much more attention to the lyrics and unlike the Le-tigre-pose-striking Derek Zoolander, these ladies have plenty to say that’s worth hearing.

Deceptacon felt like a sure-fire single, I’m surprised the lead-off track wasn’t also the album’s lead single.

Though I suppose releasing the album’s strongest song (and likely among the strongest songs from ’99), Hot Topic, wasn’t a bad choice either.

I’m always fascinated to hear about artist influences and in Hot Topic, Le Tigre name-checked dozens of influential artists.

While I was familiar with some, many others were new to me, so it was both an educational & enjoyable listening and learning experience.

The album worked really well as a running soundtrack; while one could say it started stronger than it finished, the same could easily be said for most of my races!

And even if there was some front-loading, to borrow a line from Hot Topic, “don’t give a damn I’m listening anyway.”