When She Wants Revenge first shimmied out of the San Fernando Valley with their detached, almost android new-wave tales of highly charged late-night lust, it was hard to believe that half of the duo, front man Justin Warfield,
once had a trippy hip-hop hit (1991’s “Season of the
Vic”) and sang for the decidedly dancey Bomb the
Bass. Their sophomore album, 2007’s This Is Forever, was a listless parody of their quite wonderful
Joy Division/Sisters of Mercy-indebted debut, released just the previous year, and the band subsequently parted company with their major label.
Lately, apparently freed from stylistic expectations,
their dance roots are delightfully re-emerging. Tracks like “All Wound Up,” while still achingly ’80s,
hint at squelchy, synthy fun on just-released third
album Valleyheart.
This article appears in Jun 9-15, 2011.