Album Review: The Donnas, "Bitchin'" (Purple Feather/Red Eye)

The Donnas have milked thier '80s-rock influences for 14 years. Channeling The Ramones, each band member went by the first name "Donna" until the group's previous album, 2004's "Gold Medal." The California-based act fills its releases with chunky chord riffs and reverb, and spew enough '80s buzzwords to fill a Corey Haim movie. So why stop now?

Starting from the theatrical, apocalyptic opening, "Bitchin'" is nothing we haven't heard before. The slick production and the voice of singer Brett Anderson dull any sharp edges. However, the band--which also includes Maya Ford (bass), Allison Robertson (guitar) and Torry Castellano (drums)--plays with a little slower groove on "Bitchin'" than on previous releases.

Pre-teen girls would eat up the simple lyrics. Take "Wasted," for example: "The first time I saw your face/I got wasted on your love." And "Better Off Dancing": "I'm better off dancing/without you." It's not to say that the shout-out-loud "Bitchin'" isn't fun. "Here for the Party" swings along to sexually lite lyrics: "I'm the teacher/you're the student/pay attention and I'll show you how to do it."

Sure, "Bitchin'" sounds like a product of 1985, but as Anderson sings in the title track, "Listen up/we're gonna take you over."