Purge

For Canadian "riot grrrl" extraordinaire Bif Naked, mixing punk, pop, and the sound du jour has become second nature. Although many dismiss her embrace of more accessible forms of punk as selling out, she's out to prove that it's more a result of her growth as both a songwriter and an individual. With each album, she seems to get more comfortable opening up musically and emotionally, and Purge is no exception. With the album's prevailing theme of self-empowerment, Bif Naked walks a fine line between wanting more and having enough. On songs like "Tango Shoes" and "I Love Myself Today" (the latter being co-written by über-producer Desmond Child), Naked is bold, self-assured, and optimistic. On "October Song" and "You Are the Master," she explores her humility while searching for acceptance and guidance. She leaves a lasting impression with the album's final song, "Religion," exposing a raw sincerity while singing "I am naked before you. Look at me." Musically, Purge soars. It's a polished and more realized update of the raw and energetic sounds that made Naked's previous releases so enjoyable. The album does have some slower moments, but they are neatly slipped between the large helping of all-out rockers. Combining slick songwriting with a set of some of her most honest and self-explorative lyrics to-date, Bif Naked intrigues and entertains with a worthy follow-up to I Bificus.