Northern State, "Can I Keep This Pen?"

White female hip-hop trio makes a Beastie-assisted comeback

By Kirk Miller, Metromix

August 27, 2007

 
Critic's Rating:
3

Northern State, "Can I Keep This Pen?"
Can I Keep This Pen?
Release date:
August 28, 2007
Artist/Band name:
Northern State
Record label:
Ipecac
Official Web Site:
http://www.northernstate.net/
Backstory: 2007’s oddest comeback? Three years after their buzz died and their major label deal fell through, the white suburban female hip-hop trio Northern State returns. This time, they’re singing as much as rapping…and, oddly, doing it for Mike Patton’s noise-rock-friendly record label Ipecac.
 
Why you should care: If Gym Class Heroes represent a new wave of old-school hip-hop mixed with alt-rock, then Northern State are a worthy (re)addition to the burgeoning genre. The monotone vocals and guitar riffs in “Better Already” are pleasantly reminiscent of L7’s “Pretend We’re Dead”, while “Good Distance” could have fit right in on the Beasties Boys' “License to Ill.” No surprise—Beastie man Ad-rock produced most of this State album.
 
Verdict: Although it staggers near the end and the rhymes can go from funny ha-ha to cringe-inducing rather quickly (“we might win a Tony/you may have seen us on the Isle of Coney”), Northern State keeps its hip-hop relaxed, fun and, with the addition of female harmonies and some well-timed guitar licks, firmly geared toward the rock crowd. Let’s just say that as rappers, they make good rockers.
 
X-Factor: How would a female hip-hop group cover Radiohead, you may ask? Northern State answered that question with their take on "No Surprises" from "OK Computer" a few years back. Verdict? Unnecessary.

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