SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE DONNAS – EARLY SINGLES 1995-1999

The Donnas
Early Singles 1995-1999
Real Gone Music

The Donnas burst onto the punk scene like a force of nature in the late 1990s. Far from being an overnight success, this quartet (vocalist Brett Anderson, guitarist Allison Robertson, bassist Maya Ford, and drummer Torry Castellano) formed when they were all 13 years old. When they released their first album, The Donnas, in 1997 they were already seasoned stage performers.

This release takes a retrospective look at their early career, and what a fun ride it is! The Donnas – Early Singles 1995-1999 contains 14 non-LP tracks plus a host of other goodies, including band commentary on each track, liner notes, and memorabilia. The songs are mostly from their days on the Lookout! label, as well as some tracks from their pre-label days.

The album kicks off with “High School Yum Yum”. This offers a glimpse into the very early days of the band, pre-label, and listening to it conjures images of four earnest high school students rocking out in a garage. All of the elements of The Donnas style are here, though, including punk guitar riffs, aggressive drums, and fun lyrics.

Teenage angst is on full display in the cheeky “I Wanna Be A Unabomber”. Again, while this is a very early recording, it can’t mask the fact that these four had already spent a lot of time playing together.

There is a metamorphosis in their sound on “Strutter” as they have the resources of a recording studio behind them. Allison Robertson delivers some blistering guitar work, and the rest of the band meshes like a finely-tuned machine.

The Donnas – Early Singles 1995-1999 is the first part of a multi-release retrospective from Real Gone Music. They plan on reissuing all four albums that The Donnas cut on the Lookout! label.

The combination of Anderson’s in-your-face vocals, Robertson’s skillful guitar work , the tight but aggressive rhythm section provided by Ford and Castellano, and the sense of fun they conveyed on these early recordings had me smiling from the get-go. This is a worthwhile release, fans of the band are sure to enjoy the extras that will come with buying a physical copy.

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