Website: Peaches
The Inside Pulse:
Known underground since her debut in 2000, Merrill Nisker — aka Peaches — has rocked a sound that is simultaneously sexy and kind of disgusting. Trademarks include comically obnoxious XXX-rated lyrics and minimalist, amateur backing tracks. When an artist can be respected and loved for songs like “Fuck the Pain Away” and “Shake Yer Dix”, obviously there’s more to it than just the schtick.
And it’s the schtick that surprisingly isn’t the appeal of Impeach My Bush. Make no mistake, the lyrics are probably her most lewd and clever to date. However, it’s the slick production and ridiculously good dance-based electro beats that have transformed this outing into actual good music.
Positives: Killer bass is everywhere across the disc and it’s utterly infectious, right out of the gate with “Tent In Your Pants” and ending with “Stick It To the Pimp”. But the dirty rock aesthetic of Peaches’ last disc, Fatherf*cker, has not been ignored; Joan Jett makes an appearance on “Boys Wanna Be Her,” and “Give ‘Er” rocks equally hard. It’s definitely the subbass on tracks like “Rock the Shocker” and “Slippery Dick” that are the most memorable contributions. Not only has the music gotten much stronger, but Peaches’ pottymouth seems far more junior high than third grade.
Negatives: Of course, it’s a ridiculously juvenile album, certainly not intended for the Sinead O’Connor fanbase. As for experienced fans, those who like their Peaches a lot more raw will be disappointed by the high-gloss sheen. The maturity — what one could call maturity, anyway — removes that illusion of listening to something you shouldn’t. Impeach My Bush does have its fair share of filler, too, although most of the songs are short enough that they don’t drag down the standout tracks too terribly.
Cross-breed: Lords of Acid meets Gwen Stefani and Sean Paul’s beats, with an occasional sprinkling of The Stooges.
Reason To Buy: Surprisingly, for more than just shock value — pick it up if you want a pulsating dance album with far more replay value than 2 Live Crew.
