Suffrajett

Chicago, IL

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About

Suffrajett likes it dirty.

Its music that is.

That might sound unusual considering this gritty rock outfit is fronted by a half-black, half-jewish woman that goes by the name "Simi", and plays the violin - but don't tell the rest of the band.

Guitarist Jason Chasko, an accomplished session man who played with the likes of Liz Phair, said Simi has a great knack for exuding a gritty sexiness on stage. During a live show, it doesn't take much more than the first strains of the group's lo-fi bluesy and craggy garage punk power, strident guitar and primal frenetic drumming to evoke crystal clear images: a brash band originally from New York pumping its fist, screaming right at you and not giving a damn if you might be offended before they finish their show and head off to the bar.

Now calling the less-competitive Windy City home, Suffrajett is tough, lo-fi, and grooving, but they can't be grouped into the garage rock amalgram. On their 2005 self-titled EP, the band has simple tunes like "Shake Your Heart," swathed in Simi's crisp and breathy voice. But then they plumb the sonic depths of a dirty New York gutter with raw-driven tunes like "Getcha Good" where you can feel Simi'si rritation and spite. These tracks are also on this September's full-length release, "Black Glitter". Think of her pipes as a combination of Karen O and Diana Ross. Although a true rock n' roller by appearance, she is a classically trained singer, that hails from Woodstock, NY.

The band has moved up in the world after recording their 2003 debut cd in a storage unit. The album landed in Esquire magazine and was called a "dirty record about sex and drugs." Though the production might have changed on Black Glitter, the lyrics still maintain their biting essence.