It took me a while, but then, happily, it hit me: Eve Libertine. This chick, I thought, sounds like Eve Libertine from Crass. It's the first time I've had that thought since...well since I was listening to Crass. I was quite pleased, fondly remembering my anarcho-punk days and one of my favorite vocalists. If you're familiar with Ms. Libertine's iconoclastically angry style, you'll have some idea of what Crowns on 45 frontwoman Heather Hellskiss sounds like. Jumpy and jagged, angry yet strangely tuneful; her voice is a wonderful sound. I don't wish to imply that Crowns on 45 are cut from quite the same cloth as Crass, for they are not. And that isn't a bad thing -- they have their own sound, and they do it well.

The Crowns on 45's sound is a bit lighter than the music of punk rock heavies; some would call it "new wave," but I don't really know what that means any more. It certainly doesn't sound like my memory of eighties new wave. Should I call this the new new wave? Maybe, but that's too confusing. Comparisons to Sleater Kinney have already been made, and I can see why. There is also a trace of Fugazi in the band's angular guitar riffs, and some Pixies in their poppy sensibility.

 Lyrically, the group also has a lighter side. Best song title: "Love Songs (Are For Losers)." Crass fans might not think it's funny, but I certainly do. But Not On the Menu isn't all laughs; some songs grapple with such difficult issues as sexual politics. One track in particular stands out for both the forceful point it makes and the way in which it makes it: "Walk in the Park" samples a disturbing news story about assaults on women in Central Park, and responds with a violent yell to the news that the police gave "very little response at all." This is one of the most direct ways I've heard a band respond to current events, and while it may seem gimmicky, it positively works. The scream's undeniable pissed-offedness gave me chills, and the music rocks hard behind it.

The group's drummer provides vocals for a few softer-sounding songs at the disc's midpoint; these seem a little out of place compared to the energy level established by the rest of the disc. Overall, however, Not on the Menu is an inventive, powerful and enjoyable disc, and I have a feeling that, unlike a certain bickering punk band, Crowns on 45 will get even better as time goes on.