We Can Do Anything

Violent Femmes

Released on 3/4/16 by [PIAS]
Main artists: Violent Femmes
Genre: Rock

Available in

16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo

Unlimited Streaming

Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps

Start my trial period and start listening to this album

Enjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription

Digital Download

Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.

The Violent Femmes spent the bulk of the 21st century either touring their old hits or suing each other over the proper royalty payment of said hits. Gordon Gano and Brian Ritchie buried that hatchet in 2012 and reunited the following year, losing drummer Victor de Lorenzo after those 30th anniversary concerts -- but the pair soldiered on, recording We Can Do Anything, the band's first album of original material in 16 years, with Dresden Dolls drummer Brian Viglione. We Can Do Anything doesn't bear any signs of outright animosity: Gano sounds as twitchy as ever, always poised on the brink of apoplexy, either at himself or some piece of nonsense, while Ritchie shouts back in solidarity or sarcasm. The years have turned the Femmes' rare ballads into something sweet and bruised -- "What You Really Mean" is as romantic and affecting as this group has ever gotten -- and that functions as a nice counterpoint to the numbers where the geekiness feels studied, pushing the tunes toward the realm of novelty. This delicate balance of tone always proved to be a problem for the Violent Femmes -- declarations of angst and galloping cowboy numbers begin to curdle past their sell-by date -- but even if the middle-aged Gano and Ritchie can't resist the clarion call of drunken sea shanties or tunes better suited for a kids records, they do know how to use their craft to not only sharpen the songs themselves, but the record. Even when things get silly on We Can Do Anything, the silliness blows on by, headed toward a bit of revved-up folk or unexpected introspection, and those twists are what makes the album worth hearing.

© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo

More info

We Can Do Anything

Violent Femmes

You are currently listening to samples.

Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.

Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.

From $10.83/month

Memory