Betty Kracker's latest offering, Bent Outta Shape, is the band's second CD release. Original members lisa e. and Shannon Hallett (Shrimpmeat, Arthur Ellis 2000) are joined by Trevor Thompson (The Rain and the Sidewalk) and Ryan Karl Schmidt (Salmon Arm, Motorama), members since 2007.
After playing a series of Vancouver shows in 2007 including opening for punk legends The Subhumans in September, Betty Kracker recorded the basic tracks for Bent Outta Shape at FacePlant in Vancouver. Hallett's vocals for Elephants & Coral were recorded at a prehistoric monument site in France in late 2007. Final overdubs were recorded back in Vancouver, in early 2008. BK bassist R. K. Schmidt created the striking front cover art.
The result is a diverse and dynamic selection of songs, ranging from the tight punk rant of Fickle to the metal bombast of Alien to Me. The CD's closer, Interzone, a cover of the Joy Division classic, a nod to the evolving post-punk undercurrent in the band's music. The new CD takes the band's punknroll ethic further, incorporating more diverse influences while retaining their characteristic sharp edge.
The brand new original songs, Shake, the title track, and Elephants & Coral are augmented by the first recordings of crowd favorites Mighty Mighty and Fickle. Alien to Me was previously appeared on the CD Alphomega, recorded by Shannon's earlier band, Arthur Ellis 2000.
Betty Kracker's debut CD, Easy Bay Coven (2006), was universally well-reviewed by MaximumRocknRoll, Exclaim, The Nerve and other magazines, who praised the band's sound and performance. The CD charted across Canada on indie radio and received airplay in the US and Europe in 2007.
The track S.C.W. appeared on the compilation Citizen's Rule (2005) released by Red Cat Records, receiving airplay on CBC and college radio. The band was part of a CBC TV feature on the release. (For complete discography and history of live performances, see reverse).
Review: Easy Bay Coven:
"This is a six-song EP of guitar pop from a gang of Canucks. They come on like SLANT 6 mixed with SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES: spooky guitar lines and echo-laden vocals from all four members. It's got a definite SoCal vibe too... some of these songs could fit right in on the SUBURBIA soundtrack! Pop and punk, yet not pop punk, know what I mean? My only complaint is that most of the songs are a bit too long for my reduced attention span. (AM)". - MAXIMUMROCKNROLL, 03/2007