Miss Crazy CD Review by Brett Sites/ Big Daddy Rocks

After almost 9 months of listening to M!SS CRAZY's debut CD, I still crank it every day. M!SS CRAZY is one of those bands that you'd have to have with you if you were stranded on an island. It's just that good! After hearing Hardcore Superstar's 2005 release, I was unsure if I'd hear anything that good in 2006 and sure enough, M!SS CRAZY tops my 2006 release list.

It's a mildly funny story how I ran across this band. I tend to do the occasional online downloading and M!SS CRAZY happened to be in a group of things I got one evening. I hadn't paid too much attention, but about that time they sent me a Friend Request through My Space. It was about two months later that I started going through the things I had downloaded and ran across their debut CD. I was floored! I immediately went online to find their site and joined their fan club. The fan club membership included the remastered version of their debut with 3 bonus tracks. Since then I have purchased the original 10 track version of the CD, bought each of the 4 additional tracks they have available at www.misscrazymusic.com, bought 3 T-shirts, hooked them up with some local clubs so they are now booked in Des Moines, IA, twice, and have turned friends onto the band. I'm hoping we turn out quite a crowd for them in May! I am truly passionate about M!SS CRAZY and the music they make.

Essential to M!SS CRAZY are Markus Allen Christopher (singer, songwriter, guitarist) and Kim Racer (bassist and songwriter). They have established a sound akin to AC/DC, Cinderella, Def Leppard, and Kix while maintaining their own identity. This is a band that will be huge soon and remembered for years because of the music. The band has gone through lineup changes, but has since settled into a stable lineup with Major Tom on guitar and Sketch on drums.

Below is a track by track review of M!SS CRAZY's debut self-titled CD.

No Compromise: This song opens with an "oh we oh" chant and then kicks into some great rhythm guitar with an underlying rumble provided by the rhythm section. Markus' vocals are spot on screaming over the top of the band. There is a lot of power in every instrument as they stomp through this catchy tune. The background vocals have a Def Leppard quality to them as they blend very well. This song makes you pay attention and builds to a crescendo with the "oh we oh" over the ending.

Billie: The guitar riff starts out with an Angus Young style rhythm. "Billie, where's your mother?" I read somewhere that this was an ode to a MILF. The rhythm is very strong on this song and the guitar solo is a fast melodic run that shows off Markus' tasteful guitar playing.

Hide Island: Kicking off all at the same time, Markus leads the band into a song tinged with a great harmony filled chorus. The lyrics fit the vocals throughout, but especially the verses where he is crying out in questions asking for honesty and answers. There is a lot of passion in those questions. This is a mid-tempo with some tasty guitar under the repeated chorus at the end of the song. The guitar has a great melodic feel to it. Markus' solos are uncanny in being a part of the song and not a separate entity stuck in the middle.

Life's Been Good: This is one of my personal favorites. There is a lot of positivity in this anthem. The rhythm section chugs right along like a train moving on the tracks on a beautiful day. This song is straight forward from start to finish. I'm sure the crowd gets in on the chorus live!

You're Blue: Markus' lower range gets some exercise here as the tempo slows. The sympathetic lyrics and melancholy guitar are the type that will get you through a rough patch. Kim keeps the bass tight and understated so that the melody is the highlight on top. I'm not a fan of slow songs, but this one starts and ends with a lot of emotion so it's not filler between the up-tempo songs. You will stop to listen. Fans of Cinderella will love this one!

Scream: Balls to the wall rhythm between Kim and the drummer get this song off to a fast start. "Scream all night!" This is a fist pumping anthem to be played live with a screaming crowd! The rhythms are tight where they need to be and loose and slamming through the bridge and chorus. Kim really holds the low end down while Markus plays a great metal style solo in this one, too. Great teamwork! "She's on her knees, she's a rock n roller!"

So Long: Starting with the rhythm guitar, adding drums, kicking in with the verse, and finally the full band as the chorus gets rolling. What a powerful way to say goodbye! The build is very similar to Kix and AC/DC.

Now: The rhythm stomps in and never lets you go on this track. Kim's quarter notes drive this song forward as the chorus proclaims the anthem that "Baby's gonna take me to town." I can see this being a great live song with audience participation shouting "Now" in the chorus. The great thing about M!SS CRAZY is that they are all about the songs. If the song needs something, they add it. If not, they leave it out. I really like this approach to the writing and recording.

Shut Eyes: Another song that starts with some Angus Young style guitar. This is a great thing! Markus has a great ear for riffs. This one really has a great AC/DC vibe with the vocals on the verses. The chorus has another really good harmony in the background vocals. The breakdown in the middle with some guitar picking really gives a great dynamic to the song.

Baby Let's Go: Another driving bass line in this song really gets the stomp going. The harmonies are more prevalent throughout this song in both the verses and chorus. This is a fast paced rocker that is sure to move you, whether it's fist pumping or head banging.

Nothing (Bonus Track): The drums are the most inventive on this song. The verses have a great tom and kick part that works between the lyric. In my opinion, some of the best drumming so far on the CD is in this song. The vocal has a wonderful match once again to the lyrics when Markus screams "I wish I could die". This song and the other bonus tracks show the growth of the band and imply what is to come.

My Way (Bonus Track): Four on the floor rocker! This one is the ballsiest tune so far. You can really hear the excitement in the band as they play this with full on aggression. There is nothing held back. The rhythm has a great looseness to it and shows that the M!SS CRAZY groove is in full effect. The solos are full on hard rock! Every crowd they play in front of will be shouting this chorus.

Tattooed Freak (Bonus Track): Sounds like Markus really has a soft spot for the girl in this song. This is one of the best hard rock love songs I've heard in a while. The groove with the rhythm guitar chugging along with the bass and drums really has an "edge of your seat" feel to it that you can just imagine the band careening off the road, so to speak, at some point in this song.

Each track shows a strong solid songwriting foundation. As the CD goes along, it gets stronger. The three bonus songs start showing some of the promise that the original 10 tracks point to. The guitar continually gets more inventive. The rhythms really start showing the solidity of the band and give you a band feel instead of a studio feel, if that makes sense. The vocals are always spot on and fit the lyrics. The harmonies and background vocals are recorded with a tight feel in the same vein as Def Leppard. There isn't a weak link in this band.

Get this CD. It's one of the most important releases of 2006 and is the start of great things for M!SS CRAZY. See them on tour in a town near you as they conquer the world!

Brett Sites/Big Daddy Rocks