First of all, the 4 Non Blondes are no more, which is difficult to understand, given the success this album enjoyed. The San Francisco based quartet signed with Interscope Records in the early `90s, and their debut effort in 1992, "Bigger, Better, Faster, More!" was their first and last recording together, but it produced one mega-hit, "What's Up," which sold more singles than any song in warner history. Still, they were destined to join the roster of the music scene's One-hit Wonders; but anyone who listens to this album isn't going to forget it any time soon.

The band produced an alternative rock/coffee house blues sound with a penetrating presentation that would give your coffee the jitters, and it's that sound that is captured on this CD. From the opening bars of "Train," to the final refrain of "No Place Like Home," the Non Blondes come at you with a vengeance, and they give no quarter. This is raw, edgy stuff that will get your attention with the first cut, and by the time you reach the end of the album the first time through, you're hooked. They get you and they get you good.

To give credit where it's due, the 4 Non Blondes are: Christa Hillhouse, base; Roger Rocha, guitar; Dawn Richardson, drums; and last but not least, singer/songwriter (and consummate artist) Linda Perry on vocals. And referencing Perry as such is not to be taken as a mere platitude; because talented as Hillhouse, Rocha and Richardson are, it is Perry who is the real story here.

Without question, Linda Perry is the driving force behind the band. She has a strong, distinctive voice and she knows how to use it. And the term "subtle" is not in her vocabulary. She gives you everything she's got on every song, and she has quite a bit to give. Think Taylor Dane meets Tina Turner and you'll have an idea. Perry is definitely not a gentle breeze blowing across the landscape; she's a gale force wind reducing everything in her path to rubble. And she does it SO well.

Perry is something of an enigma, as well. Her sound is hard and fast, but her lyrics tend to be introspective, even wistful, and range from the musings of a dreamer to a `60s kind of social consciousness, all delivered with a spine-shattering effectiveness more evocative of an Ani DeFranco or Michelle Shocked than a Joni Mitchell or Jewel. Consider the soul searching words with which she begins "What's Up": "25 years of my life and still/ I'm trying to get up that great big hill of hope/ for a destination--" It's a rocker's contemplation of life, which she seems to answer with the acquiescent "Morphine & Chocolate," in which she strives to "Substitute my enemies with real good friends/ Morphine & Chocolate are my/ Substitute, substitutes--"

Then on to the words of the daydreamer, "So I'll reach up to the sky/ And pretend that I'm a Spaceman/ in another place and time," in "Spaceman," which then continues on with the thought that "I guess I'm lookin' for a brand new place/ I remember living in a different life--" And "Dear Mr. President," a commentary on society and the state of the world in which we're living: "It's such a wonderful country/ but the man is burning it down--"

Like Jim Morrison and Springsteen before her, Perry is a hard blues/rocker with a poet's soul. But more than that she's got "attitude"-- the right kind and plenty of it. And she knows how to deliver the goods, which she so aptly demonstrates on "Bigger, Better, Faster, More!" with a little help from her friends. In the final analysis, however, 4 Non Blondes is a band destined to be a footnote in music history. Linda Perry, on the other hand, is going to be remembered, and she is happening now. Linda Perry is forever. And so is her music.

This is the best album I've ever owned, but I need to correct something, the lead singer is not dead!! Don't worry. Her name is Linda Perry, and she has 2 (TWO!!!) solo albums which are both excellent. In Flight and After Hours. Check them both out. 4 Non Blondes can also be found on a lot of soundtracks(Waynes World 2, Airheads) and tributes(Encomium: A tribute to Led Zepplin, If I Were A Carpenter: A Tribute to the Carpenters).

When I bought Four Non Blondes (FNB) back in March of 1993, I thought this band would have more of an impact on the music scene. Of the eleven tracks here, there are no bad tracks. Linda Perry's solo material hasn't even come close the to great music on FNB's debut. This is a must have for any rock collector.

As you can see from some of my other reviews in here, my musical tastes are mired 30-40 years in the past. Recently I jumped ahead to only 15 years behind the times at an unlikely place--the steps of Sacre Cour on Montmartre in Paris. There on a unseasonably mild November Sunday afternoon, I listened to a Parisian troubador strum his guitar and sing Beatles songs and American folk tunes (Simon and Garfunkel). I started singing along and he invited me down to sing with him. First we did "Help!", on which we did our best to reproduce the Beatles echo singing style. After "Help!" he started a song that I didn't recognize, so I sat back down on the concrete steps. "25 years and my life is still..."--I listened and enjoyed, and sang along with the "hey, hey, hey, what's goin' on!" chorus. Later on he invited me back for "California Dreaming" (another echo song), but that's another story.

Back in the US, I was determined to find out who did "What's Goin' On", which I was sure had to be the name of the song. I Googled and searched lyrics sites--finding a lot of performers who had covered Marvin Gaye's classic tune. Finally on page 3 of one search or another, I found a reference to "4 Non Blondes" and a song called "What's Up". I read the lyrics and thought, "This might be it." I found 4 Non Blondes on You Tube and listened (and watched) Linda Perry sing the song. I knew I'd found the song. I also learned that the title of the song resulted from the ubiquitous presence of Marvin Gaye's song, and the need for 4 Non Blondes to be different. I also learned was that Linda Perry did a lot better with the song than my Parisian friend, and I understood why it was a big hit that would be remembered in Paris 15 years later.

Getting on with the story, I asked for 4 Non Blondes' CD "Bigger, Faster, Better, More" for Christmas. Of all people, my 77-year old father found it for me. Sure enough, my new favorite song was there, along with a several other songs featuring Linda Perry's unique vocal style--"Train", "Pleasantly Blue", "Morphine and Chocolate" and "Spaceman" being my favorites. I love the way she can seemingly sing in two octaves at once. "Morphine and Chocolate" has to be the theme song for a drug movie somewhere. Mostly rockers, the 4 Non Blondes also blend in some blues and folk. Linda's singing seems a little strident at time, but you can never accuse of her of holding anything back. I've read comparisons of Perry's singing style to that of Robert Plant--they seem relevant. Both have great range of styles, pitch and that relentless emotion.

As the radio nowadays is polluted by no talent acts like Avril Lavigne and Michelle Branch, I can only remember the early 90's when the group 4 non blondes exploded on to the music scene with "What's Up." Who cannot but love this song? This song is reason enough to buy the album and do you remember when they kept playing "What's Up" during the olympic games in Oslo, Norway? Yeah this song and 4 nonblondes are all that. Linda Perry went on to work with such acts as Pink and Christina Aguilera and has written such songs as "Get This Party Started." There you have it. It's a shame these gals were 1 hit wonders because this CD and the song "What's Up" Is great. Also check out the really cool remix. It's hot as well. A+