The Power Of Pussy was their third LP and starts with the title track. Primal guitars and drums pound in, wholly appropriate to the subject matter, which Magnuson treats with such happy abandon. PUSSY PUSSY the power of pussy she wails in her sweet voice, informing us that, “Some have teeth, some have hair, some have soft sweet petals, some look like Cher”. The ambiguity of Magnuson's lyrical content is frighteningly sharp. On the surface she seems to be mimicking American TV's open therapy sessions, creating an image of anxious middle class woman searching for their orgasms, but underneath making plain womans power both sexually and culturally. So the scene is set for the LP from the off, with mostly stories of a sexual, satirical and humorous nature that come from Magnuson's dreams and fantasies. The exceptions are very welcome also. Kisses Sweeter Than Wine is an old folk cover version played with a banjo and sang with sincerity. I hope it was meant to be that anyway.

Kramer's music is pretty simple all the way through, with different genres popping up but mostly strummed chords, minimal drums and percussion, and lots of little cock rock solos thrown in. But there are also lots of quick sound collages and voice samples introducing or ending songs. The voice overs are a mixture of old comedians, singers etc, and Kramer's answer phone messages. They are all expertly immersed into the LPs structure and some are very funny indeed. In Chicken Pussy Magnuson does a spoken word dream sequence about having sex with the lead singer of Canned Heat, and they are joined by a neighbor who is married to a chicken, which must be able to change form, Magnuson muses, because they have a baby, which has incidentally fallen off the bed during the foursome. It does seem at this point that the LP starts to increase in weirdness, but it's all good fun. Nick Cave Dolls starts with Magnuson playing a telephone sex worker who decides to tell the caller that they are walking along Hollywood Boulevard and not on separate ends of a line. The surreal ensuing story does lead to doll's of Nick Cave, honestly.

Obscene And Pornographic Art is perhaps the funniest song on the LP. It's about a bored rich housewife who goes to the museum of modern art to get off on all the nude sculptures and naughty paintings. Kramer does his best porno music impression, while an approaching orgasm female voice sighs and wails in the background. The chorus and it's meaning will make you laugh out loud. For me, the last track, Folk Song, is the LPs finest. It shows off all of Magnuson's surreal wit, wisdom and vocal beauty, as well as her bravery in expressing ambiguity to the things she is satirizing. I don't mind admitting I love this woman dearly. Buy this LP if you haven't heard it. It shouldn't be a semi-hidden gem for too long. Chris Lee

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