So I Rage

Female-fronted rock bands are far from commonplace in our nation's commercial music market and in defying this trite normality, Holly and the Woods instantly strike a chord of uniqueness with their exhilarating entrance onto the South African rock scene.

"We've worked long and hard for this moment, and wanted our first album to really be something that we are proud of," lead lady Melissa Conradie recently enthused of the quintet’s debut full-length offering, 'So I Rage', and proud of it they can be, bar a couple of rookie errors.

It's every upstart outfit’s greatest challenge: the quest for mainstream prosperity versus staying true to their collective musical aspiration. Conradie and her posse have come marginally close to buckling to the former but, gratefully, have weighed in with enough clout to leave the conflict in favour of the latter.

From the placidity and reflection of 'Wondering Souls' and 'Free' to the crunching choruses of 'Lay Me (Down)', 'My Head' and 'Dumb (Superstar)', Holly and the Woods journey through their 14-track debut with utmost sincerity and a feasible amount of radio-friendly rock, as typified by 'Not Like Me', 'Save Me' and their persuasive approach to the title track.

The instrumental meanderings of 'Enter Heaven' are a creative introduction to the imminent upsurge of 'Heaven Is Your Hell', while the aptly-placed backing vocals in 'Get Out' enliven an otherwise uninspiring opening track.

Fashioned, tweaked and ultimately crafted by one of the country's most progressive producers, Matthew Fink, the album ends with a tidy acoustic-led song, 'So I Rage… Gently', with Fink lending his prowess on the piano and the incorporation of violin proving an exquisite accompaniment to Conradie's absorbing recital of lyrics laden with depth and profundity.

With comparisons to the distinctiveness in approach once enjoyed by erstwhile rockers Skunk Anansie a tad premature, Holly and the Woods would do well to cash in on the relative success of their inaugural release, head back to the recording studio to create a punchier successor that'll give the proverbial middle finger to their detractors.