Album Review: The Julie Ruin, Hit Reset

Musician, activist and writer Kathleen Hanna made a name for herself as front woman with Bikini Kill and Le Tigre.
Since 2010, Adam Horovitz’s better half has also been trading as The Julie Ruin. She’s overcome a battle with Lyme disease to release her second album with fellow riot grrrls Kathi Wilcox, Kenny Mellman, Carmine Covelli and Sara Landeau.
Hanna always tackled big ideas on her feminist-inspired outings with her previous bands. Hit Reset seems to a be a more personal affair, replete with songs about family, but Kathleen still tackles sexism on ‘Mr So And So’. Unfortunately, overall, Hanna and company’s execution is both preachy and shouty, not a winning combination. There are some good ideas bubbling under the bubblegum pop, such as the title-track about Kathleen Hanna’s mother, but you’ve also got a song like ‘I Decide’, which is not exactly high on lyrical ingenuity and originality.
Hanna is a fascinating character who’s overcome great adversity to pursue her art, but I’m afraid I can’t really get into Hit Reset.
Hit Reset is out now.