By: Sean R. Grogan

"A Secret Worth Learning."

Are you tired of bubble gum pop stars and their overly dramatic breakdowns? Tired of rock stars who don’t rock? Well have we found a band for you, Boy / Girl. The Brooklyn/Jersey City duo, Eric Stinger and Lisa Cusack, take rock and transform it from radio-friendly, stale, and ordinary into something chaotic and gritty. The album takes the listener on a ride full of highs and lows. The opening track on Secret, "Alcohol and Certain Medications" reminds me of a Mediterranean market with its conflicting sounds and hectic beat. "The Shakes" mixes dry vocals with clamorous drums and screeching guitars. "Kill Kill Kill" is an upbeat little interlude whose soul vocals make us think of a 1980's slasher flick - talk about a mind-blowing contradiction. On "Rorshack" the disarranged mix of drums and guitars sends an eerie chill down the spine. For their first EP (on Ace Fu / 307 Knox), produced by Russell Simmins (JSBX), Boy / Girl are setting themselves up to change the sounds associated with rock and make a niche that will no doubt be filled by imitators. The name of their website alone makes them worth checking out: PleaseHate.us.