Sharkmuffin self describes their sound as “noise-punk meets psychedelic power pop” and, over the course of their debut LP Chartreuse, they hit each of these marks.

Tarra Thiessen and Natalie Kirch play guitar and bass, respectively, and they play the hell out of them, also respectively. They carry on the recent (but always classic) torch of punk rock started in the garage and blowing right out of it. At their best, they sound like a more guitar-driven Death From Above 1979, most notably on “Secrets.” Chartreuse sometimes manages to fuse punk and garage like White Lung or The Coathangers, as well. The opening title track and the epic closer “I Called You From the Moon” prove their rebellious nature is more than a few clever song titles. Sleater-Kinney also comes to mind, but hold on, Sharkmuffin has a ways to go before those comparisons really mean something.

The riffs are the highlights. It’s clear listening to Chartreuse that noodling around on the old six string and building structures around those ideas was the natural way to go about songwriting. For Sharkmuffin, the guitar is king. As catchy and raw as some of the vocal melodies are, it’s the music you’ll be humming to yourself later. And that’s the goal. The drums benefit a ton from ex-Hole drummer Patty Schemel, but are still mostly there to keep the girls in time.

The winner on Chartreuse is “I Called You From the Moon.” During each listen to the album, it’s the one that sticks out but still fits neatly into the overall vibe. It’s harder, a little edgier and not just guitar. Sharkmuffin ends Chartreuse with a bang and it's a good way for them to go. Ending with the most intense track makes the listener want more from these women.