Mika Miko – We Be Xuxa (2009) [Post Present Medium] // Grade: B+

It’s next to impossible to write about Mika Miko and not mention that they’re an all-girl (well mostly) Punk band… It’s just been ingrained in us to call out such things, even though we’d never call out an all guy of anything.  This is unfortunate because while yes they’re girls, they’re also not the typical all-girl punk band. There are no lofty manifestos on sexuality or calls to arms to break punk’s glass ceiling but just a desire to make music, sing about stupid shit that just happens to be cleverly observant. Mika Miko never really call attention to their sexuality, at least not overtly, but (as a guy) it’s hard to ignore it and truthfully without taking anything away, it does add a lot to their charm.

What’s most striking about  We Be Xuxa is that while Mika Miko still draws a lot of the cool, crass & confident sound of the late, great LA Punk scene, they also really embrace a history of great female driven punk without ever succumbing to the wink, nod and secret handshake of it’s annals. Be it the abrasive rockers of the Lunachicks to the art-damaged thump of Kleenex/Lilliput, it’s all here… Stewed and seasoned perfectly until it’s familiar yet just different enough to keep you interested for a long while.

- My Pal the Crook