This Island

1	On The Verge 3:31
2	Seconds 1:45
3	Don't Drink Poison 2:49
4	After Dark 3:39
5	Nanny Nanny Boo Boo 3:35
6	TKO 3:24
7	Tell You Now 3:33
8	New Kicks 4:17
9	Viz 3:34
10	This Island 3:23
11	I'm So Excited 3:49
12	Sixteen 3:25
13	Punker Plus 2:10

Barnes & Noble

Having spent the last decade-plus proffering an ever-shifting blend of revolutionary feminism and envelope-pushing sonics, former Bikini Kill frontwoman Kathleen Hanna seems set to take on the mainstream with her latest -- and, ultimately, perhaps her most subversive -- combo. On the surface, Le Tigre are more overtly commercial than anything Hanna has ever done: Their sound is rife with danceable grooves and teasing synthesizer structures. But peel back the surface even a little, and it's easy to see that there's nary a whit of compromise on This Island. Yes, there are decidedly apolitical moments -- like the guileless playground chant "Nanny Nanny Boo Boo" -- which has the same sort of infectious edge as Chumbawamba's "Tubthumping" -- and the sleek "Tell You Now," which is invested with a surprisingly Euro vibe, thanks to the production of Ric Ocasek. Le Tigre aren't shy about waving their various flags, though, as evidenced by the disco-fied lesbian empowerment anthem "Viz" (propelled by the earthy vocals of JD Samson) or the avant-funk statement of purpose "New Kicks," which sets samples from an antiwar march in New York City into the middle of a Fugazi-styled guitar maelstrom. The trio invest every bit as much energy and emotion into covering the Pointer Sisters' "I'm So Excited" as they do into assailing the Bush administration on the careening "Seconds," a fully integrated worldview that makes This Island Le Tigre's most compelling offering to date. David Sprague

All Music Guide

The wails of riot grrrls ages 7 to 77 echoed throughout the music world (and as a result, Internet message boards) when Le Tigre announced that their next release would be on Universal, the complete antithesis to riot grrrl pioneer Kathleen Hanna's ethos for over a decade. Longtime devotees waited with baited breath and questions of anticipation as their formidable heroes completed This Island. Would it be nearly as good as the band's previous endeavors? Was Universal picking them up merely to savor the last morsels of the electroclash movement they so sorely (and in some respects, thankfully) missed out on? The answer to both questions is yes and probably. This Island is just as strong, if not stronger, than anything in Le Tigre's oeuvre. J.D., Kathleen, and Johanna have crafted an album that stays true to their roots, the album they've been wanting to make since their first demos thanks to what could possibly be attributed to a most generous advance in their contract and the able assistance of the legendary Ric Ocasek behind the mixing desk. The album is punchier than previous releases but doesn't sacrifice their core aesthetics in favor of shifting trends. The stylish but visceral lyrics are still here in full force, especially in the searing "Seconds." A prom-tastic version of the Pointer Sisters' '80s classic "I'm So Excited" brings the album to a most fitting climax before the group hits the road again with its tour-diary "Punker Plus." It's definitely an album that's going to have the purists sighing with relief and have new converts checking out their back catalog for more. But the best part of all this is that it sounds like they're having fun, something that is sometimes noticeably and sorely vacant in what could be easily construed as a major boys club of laptops and analog rack gear. Of all the groups Universal could have chosen from this tired, depressing movement, they certainly chose the most honest and promising of the bunch and one whose full potential is just now starting to flourish. Rob Theakston