Search - Heavens to Betsy :: Calculated

A Fine, Fine Album

12/22/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Wow! I admit that I came across this offering a bit out of order. After purchasing both Call the Doctor and Dig Me Out (Sleater-Kinney), I naturally discovered this wonderful disc. As other reviewers have noted, the emotions are more raw on this album (check out Stay Away and Nothing Can Stop Me). My favorite, though, is Complicated, a six minute tour de force that, upon first listen, instantly made my top ten list of greatest punk songs of all time. This song is a powerful breakup/misunderstanding song that alternates between steady beats and thunderous waves. Sure, Sleater-Kinney has gone on to show that more complex, woven tunes are possible. But Heavens To Betsy's Calculated is essential listening, not just for fans of the Riot Grrrl scene, but for anyone who's grown tired of the stagnant (and false) alternative music scene."

Beautiful album

Fernando Ipar | Montevideo, Uruguay. | 12/11/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"this is a beautiful record. i don't know if it's punk or not, and i really don't care, the songs are great, and i like the not-so-trashy ones the most. complicated is just beautiful ('if you want to go just go go go, i'll die if you go just go go go, and i'll watch you go away..'), i can't think of a better song about love, relationships, and the defenses people build after they get hurt, and how this affects our new relationships ('i've built this walls around me, i'm begging you to knock them down', if that's not the greatest love line out there, i don't know what it is). at times when MTV and other mass media giants are selling blink 182, papa roach and limp bizkit as 'punk' and 'hardcore' to the kids, and were women have once again been pushed back to the place of sexual adornments in the rock music world, this is a beautiful and necessary record. i don't remember the exact sentence, but Lisa Carver said it on the liner notes to EVOL, 'give it to your little sister'. btw, the liner notes from KRS are right, this one will indeed keep you up at night (it did it for me)."

Emotional masterpiece

daniel p. mattes | Phoenix(aka Hades,aka crispy) | 09/24/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Heavens To Betsy is Corin Tucker(guitar/vocals)of Sleater-Kinney and Tracy Sawyer(drums/bass). This album is a brutally honest examination of relationships, anger , love and even racism. Corin possesses a powerfull voice that can convey anger,heartbreak,& desire with total conviction. 'Stay Away' and 'Terrorist' are strong warnings but the highlight of the album is 'Complicated'- a beautifull song that is so honest and powerfull that it should close the album. 'White Girl' is basically a introspective song about racism and white priviledge, a theme that comes up in another song as well (liner notes explain the songs' purpose and guide listeners to books on racism and sexism). This album comes across as so very personal yet most listeners (into this genre) will find a part of themselves in some songs, and it may hurt.Overall this release should empower girls."