The Launderettes

This article is about the rock band. For other uses, see Launderette (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with Laundress or Laundrywoman.

The Launderettes is an all girl garage rock band from Oslo, Norway. The band has been around since 1996, and over the years they have toured both the US and Europe, and released several albums and singles. Since 2007, the band has been signed to Steven Van Zandt's label, Wicked Cool Records.[1]

Their genre was described by AllMusic as "driving, sexy, and high-energy revivalist garage rock".[2]

The Launderettes playing the States Club, Coimbra, 3 April 2011
The Launderettes playing the States Club, Coimbra, 3 April 2011

Among their curious live jobs was an afternoon gig in Ila Prison in 2005.[3]

Reception

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Shaken And Disturbed was released by Big Dipper in May 2002. The record got some moderately positive reviews, including a dice throw of 4 in Østlendingen.[4] Fredrik Wandrup praised the speed and energy. "The girls are confident within the mysteries of garage rock, and have a real clenched-fist drive of feminine punching power". Monotony towards the end of the record contributed to the grading being 4 out of 6 here as well.[5] Aftenposten Aften concluded that Shaken and Disturbed might be "the perfect vorspiel record", but also deducted points for lack of variation, landing on a 4 too.[6] Bad reviews came in Glåmdalen, with a dice throw of 2, citing "an embarrassing lack of good songs".[7]

VG gave a dice throw of 3 as The Launderettes released Take Me to the Race in 2003, the reviewer citing a lack of "party factor" while "not having the greatest of songs".[8] The same grade was given to Every Heart is a Time Bomb. The band failed in their attempts to be innovative, and the songs were "uneven".[9] Avisa Nordland gave a dice throw of 3 to Every Heart Is A Time Bomb too, as did Moss Avis.[10][11] Several graded this record as 4 out of 6, including Telemarksavisa who called it "vital" and "cheeky"; Drammens Tidende and Dagsavisen.[12][13][14] Another 4 out of 6 in Demokraten was motivated by the "1960s delicate details" in their music, though Shaken and Disturbed was better.[15] Sarpsborg Arbeiderblad was very positive, however, stating that the only drawback was the track order. Asked the reviewer, "Why do The Donnas get so much attention when The Launderettes are so much better?"[16] Dagbladet gave a dice throw of 5, citing that the newly added elements of pop music and surf rock gave the band a more "grown-up" tinge. Production-wise, they had managed to produce a more "dynamic" sound, their soundscape "more open, cleaner and warmer".[17]

Members

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  • Ingvild Nordang (lead vocals)
    Ingvild Nordang (lead vocals)
  • Linda Kastbakken (guitar, backing vocals)
    Linda Kastbakken (guitar, backing vocals)
  • Johanne Hjorthol (bass)
    Johanne Hjorthol (bass)
  • Mona Varpe Helleland (organ/piano/theremin/backing vocals)
    Mona Varpe Helleland (organ/piano/theremin/backing vocals)
  • Cecilie Asker (drums)
    Cecilie Asker (drums)

Discography

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Albums and EPs

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  • Shaken And Disturbed (Big Dipper, 2002)
  • Take Me To The Race EP (Big Dipper, 2003)
  • Every Heart Is A Time Bomb (EP, Big Dipper, 2005)
  • Fluff 'N' Fold – The Best Of The Launderettes (Wicked Cool Records, 2007)
  • Getaway (Wicked Cool Records, 2013)

Singles

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  • Rebel Love (Sneakers Records, 2000)
  • I Wanna Jump Your Bones (Thunderbaby Records, 2000)
  • Live at Tikis (Launderama Records, 2001)
  • Devil Dolls Tour 2001 (Low Impact Records, 2002)
  • Red River (Wicked Cool Records, 2011)
  • The Beat Dropped (Wicked Cool Records, 2011)
  • Marks On My Map (Wicked Cool Records, 2012)
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Linda Kastbakken (alias Linderella) is the lead singer and guitarist in the all-girl power trio The High Tension Girls along with drummer Plingis from Mensen and bassist Lucky Lise from The Pumps (Oslo).[18]

References

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  1. ^ "Bands-The Launderettes". Archived from the original on 5 April 2011. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
  2. ^ Collar, Matt. "The Launderettes Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  3. ^ Nakkim, Frode (13 February 2005). "Jailhouse rock". VG (in Norwegian).
  4. ^ Hansen, Per Kristian (26 June 2002). "Garasjerock". Østlendingen (review) (in Norwegian). p. 22.
  5. ^ Review of Shaken and Disturbed by Fredrik Wandrup, Dagbladet 28 May 2002, p. 54 (in Norwegian)
  6. ^ Review of Shaken and Disturbed by Svein Andersen, Aftenposten Aften 22 May 2002 (in Norwegian)
  7. ^ Mårud, Thomas (22 October 2002). Glåmdalen (review) (in Norwegian). p. 19. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. ^ Review of Take Me to the Race by Kikka Krog, VG 27 May 2003 (in Norwegian)
  9. ^ Review of Every Heart is a Time Bomb by Kurt Bakkemoen, VG 5 April 2005 (in Norwegian)
  10. ^ Slyngstad, Rune (15 March 2005). "Nye plater". Avisa Nordland (review) (in Norwegian). p. 28.
  11. ^ Andreassen, Pål (18 March 2005). Avisa Nordland (review) (in Norwegian). p. 21. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  12. ^ Surtevju, Anne-Lise (16 March 2005). "Jenter som fenger". Telemarksavisa (review) (in Norwegian). p. 50.
  13. ^ Andreassen, Johnny (15 March 2005). "Jenterock på Union". Drammens Tidende (review) (in Norwegian). pp. 10–11 (spread 2).
  14. ^ Johnsen, Lars West (15 March 2005). "Garasjemoro". Dagsavisen (in Norwegian). p. 24.
  15. ^ Review of Every Heart is a Time Bomb by Morten Nilsen, Demokraten 18 April 2005 (in Norwegian)
  16. ^ Brøndmo, Erling (16 March 2005). "De tøffeste jentene i garasjen". Sarpsborg Arbeiderblad (in Norwegian). p. 25.
  17. ^ Review of Every Heart is a Time Bomb by Øyvind Rønning, Dagbladet 15 March 2005 (in Norwegian)
  18. ^ "The High Tension Girls". Retrieved 21 April 2011.
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