Redgrave: National Act

Let’s go down the list: Finn Riggins, Hospitality, Tacocat, Evans the Death, Screaming Females, Marriages, Dead Sara. Women rockers have had a big year in 2012, and Chicago’s Redgrave is vying for the top spot in this group with their debut EP, National Act.

A potent cocktail of ’70s rock, ’90s grunge and modern blues-rock, Redgrave is a gender-flipped White Stripes with Angie Mead wailing on guitar and vocals while Stephen Howard bangs the drum kit like he’s trying to hurt it. Though only a duo, Redgrave creates a huge sound using open tunings, string distortions and power chords galore. Mead’s voice is large and in charge, and there’s so much bass in her guitar that it’s easy to imagine there’s a third band member.

National Act is a bit on the short side and hasn’t garnered the kind of attention one might expect, but if their debut LP can capture the explosive vibe of this EP, Redgrave is on their way to something big. Maybe even becoming the national act that their debut’s title alludes to.