Strange Boutique
Charm (gold)
Strange Boutique rose out of the ashes of the Washington DC punk scene. Singer Monica Richards (who later formed the legendary goth band, Faith and the Muse), drummer Danny Ingram and guitarist Fred "Freak" Smith were looking to spread their wings beyond the harDCcore scene they had helped nurture as members of original DC punk bands: Madhouse, Youth Brigade and Beefeater. After finding bassist Steve Willett, the group quickly developed a sound that surged with the energy of the DC post-punk scene while embracing an unexpected sense of melody. "The Charm album comes closest to capturing Strange Boutique's live sound. Lots of layered, textural guitar and lovely vocals over the melodic bass lines and driving percussion. Nothing less than mesmerizing