Lizette & – Just Smile

I have to remind myself never to judge a CD by its cover. Cause what I’ve got in my hand is a CD-cover that mostly resembles something from the Eurovision Song Contest – but what’s coming out of my speakers is the exact opposite: heavy, angry industrial rock. It was definitely unexpected.

In the very first song, “Reduced” Lizette & hands us her business card, this is what you can expect – motherfuckers! Then she takes off like a juggernaut fueled by nitroglycerin. It’s an incredible sound. The brutal heaviness that embeds her sometimes fragile, sometimes savagely raw voice is not what one would call “typically Swedish” (the lady is based in Stockholm, Sweden). It’s hard to imagine that she has been producing music together with ABBA-producer Michael B Tretow, who is, by the way, said to have declared Lizette & a genious for the way she works.

Her bio describes her as a rebel who grew up with Nine Inch Nails, which explains a lot. If Trent Reznor had been a woman he would have sounded like this. You are actually able to decide for yourself by listening to her version of “Head like a hole”. Trent can be proud of the monster he created.

A bit unexpectedly, Dan Reed has been involved in this album as well. He co-wrote “Have a cigar” and is also singing a duet with Lizette on this album. The video for the song “Worst fuck” was banned on MySpace, a reason as good as any to go find it on youtube. And while you’re at it – check out the video for “Reduced” as well. She is simply brilliant.