Exene Cervenka is a floozy in her thirties whose roots-punk band, X, went kerflooey some time after she split with life-partner John Doe. Always a notebook-toter, she goes for roots and poetry on her solo debut, Old Wives' Tales (Rhino). Too often her protest-tinged sincerity cries out for a nasty jolt of junk guitar, but sisterly tales like She Wanted and White Trash Wife give form to the kind of natural feminist sympathies rock and roll floozies--who are kept busy protecting their asses--rarely have time for. Pray for the X versions.

Wendy James is a floozy in her twenties who shares a band called Transvision Vamp with life-partner Nick Christian Sayer. On Velveteen (Uni), the second TV album, she sings Sayer-penned junk-rock songs about being in it for the sex--Baby I Don't Care says it, I Want Your Love codes it, and so forth--like she never heard that killer riff before in her life. Rarely has the music produced more convincing soft-core porn, and enjoy it while you can--she could change her tune before you know it.

Playboy, Jan. 1990

Dec. 1989

Feb. 1990