The bipolar transgender singer/songwriter
Animal Prufrock was one-half of the lesbian feminist duo
Bitch & Animal, known for their outrageous performances and queercore songwriting. With
Bitch & Animal on extended hiatus,
Prufrock has been touring as a solo performer. With the help of producer
Ani DiFranco,
Prufrock has put together this 12-song collection that features the same strong songwriting and soulful singing, and some of the in-your-face sexuality, that made
Bitch & Animal a force to contend with. "Emotional Boner," a slow, torchy number, continues
Prufrock's penchant for delivering genderfuck (wo)manifestos. Despite the, er, hardcore title, the song is a playful love song with lyrics that portray the agonizing tension of infatuation.
Prufrock sings with the appropriate angst. "Cosmic Tranny" is a tongue-twisting hip-hop tune full of playful, gender-challenging language and nice wha-wha guitar to complement the thumping beats. "La Mia Ragazza" and "Voglio" pay tribute to
Prufrock's Italian heritage. "La Mia Ragazza," sung in English and Italian, is a funky rocker with a distorted rhythm track and a jazzy vocal, while "Voglio" is a club-ready dance track with a sensual, over the top sung/spoken vocal and a hooky chorus. Many tunes here move in a more mainstream pop direction and could actually get played on the radio. "Liberation" sounds like a jazzy, early-'70s disco track with a playful tinkling piano, an upbeat lyric, and a catchy hook of nonsense syllables.
DiFranco adds guitar and a smooth bassline to "I Like You" and
Prufrock turns in a sweet, vulnerable, almost girlish vocal that's endearingly playful -- a moment of pure pop perfection. ~ j. poet