A new name on the female rock roster. Anouk is Dutch, blonde, barefoot and possessed of a voice that soars and drops and screams and whispers. Don't know much about her but she's kindly supplied us with a website address on the cover so there should be some info there (http://users.bart.nl/~eiber/anouk.html)

Reading between the liner notes, I see major thanks and references to George Kooymans and Barry Hay who were the heart of Dutch group Golden Earring and to John Sonneveld who co-produced with them. I don't, however, see a thanks or dedication to any significant other of Anouk. The opening song 'Nobody's Wife' immediately makes it quite clear that this lady is ready to rock and no man's gonna hold her down or back.

There's no shortage of heavy, squealing guitar chords, gut-wrenching bass or drums by the ton on 'Together Alone' but George Kooymans always left enough windows open in his Golden Earring soundscapes and here too he gives Anouk enough room and material to flex her voice and just get all that angst out! Some of the songs have that Nirvana soft-soft-bloody- loud-soft structure and 'It's So Hard' is the most appropriately titled hard rocker for a long time and relentlessly so. 'Pictures On Your Skin' is a thing of restrained beauty amidst all the racket and could be the next single. Here the musicians are having such a good time playing the song that they break off into this jam in the chill room before getting back just in time to finish the song in style.

'It's A Shame' and the album's strong closer, 'Mood Indigo', are heartfelt and passionate and leave no doubt that Anouk Teeuwe is determined to find her place alongside Alanis, Fiona, Tori, Sheryl and the other tough cookies at the top of the female rock charts.

Any thoughts, requests, problems, complaints, praise or interesting and relevant SA music news, please email it immediately to: sugar@cd.co.za