Republica

(DeConstruction/RCA)
by Scott Hefflon

Set to slam the living bejesus out of Republica for having the audacity to describe their major label debut with the new non-sequitur “techno-pop punk rock,” I found myself in love with “Ready to Go” before it was even half over. Not since C&C Music Factory or Lords of Acid have I been swayed by a beatbox thump, a hint of rock-hard guitar, and a sassy female vocalist oozing sexual attitude. My other comparisons would be Sunscreem and Defintion FX, not that they really sound like the latter, I just wanted express how much I really like the band. Mixed in with the surpringly refreshing, dance-oriented synth sounds is a healthy dose of real, honest-to-goodness guitar, and a few vocal tips of the hat to New Wave punk diva Debbie Harry. While some dance music utilizes distorted guitar noise to humanize an otherwise slick, mechanical sound, Republica uses live-sounding guitars for their power and dynamics, and actually allow much of the melody to ride on the strength of the riff. Much of Republica’s appeal is centered on mouthy frontwoman Saffron, but her bandmates deserve much credit for writing strong pop song structures and executing them with an understanding of both the techno/dance club atmosphere and “driving-with-the-radio-on” listening pleasure. Beneath the beats that make your body move lie complex layerings of both slick keyboards and gutsy human passion.