The writing on the wall this time is all about violence: "Take a Swing," "Gonna Drive Like a Maniac," "Face Down," "Do You Want To Scream?" Musically, too, this is an angry, violent record. Scrawl have taken the metaphors of violence and turned them into weapons against low self-esteem. During the snarling "Drunken Fool," this is most apparent, as singer/guitarist Marcy Mays gets drunk and vows to "drive you away" by recklessly taking the wheel. That may sound like a dumb move, but in the context of this record ("I can't see the hate that I continually hold in front of me") it's just facing reality. Mays attacks boys who mess with girls' heads ("it's just like you to cover your tracks with a gift from out of the blue") and fights an inner battle for strength. ("Boy, since we met you've slept here every night/I want to be strong but I don't put up a fight.") In the process, Velvet Hammer nails the violence of the sound better than any other record I've heard lately. (Tommy Roe)