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Taking its name from an old clothing label, three-piece band Le Tigre comprises avant-garde video artist Sadie Benning, zine-maker Johanna Fateman and former Bikini Kill leader Kathleen Hanna (the real O.G. — Original Grrrl). These supergroup credentials essentially make them the Crosby, Stills & Nash of politically-progressive underground American culture, but fortunately for everyone, they sound more like the bastard children of Gary Numan and the X-Ray Spex on a steady diet of Ritalin. This is amply demonstrated on their new EP, From the Desk of Mr. Lady (Mr. Lady). Armed with samplers, synthesizers, guitars and their bad-ass voices, Le Tigre are out to reinvent guitar-based rock for these postmodern, endlessly self-referential times. Like Hanna's former band, Bikini Kill, they do a good job of mixing humor and fun with their politics — as in "Get Off the Internet," where she sings in a staccato manner, "It is so '80s/ or early-'90s/ to be political/ where are my friends?/ (GET OFF THE INTERNET!!!)/ I'll meet you in the streets/ (GET OFF THE INTERNET!!!)/ destroy the right wing." Not only is this a great song, but it also helps explain why Kathleen hasn't returned my last couple of e-mails. Seriously.
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