Honing their own rowdy garage rock sound,
the Dishes deliver a tight set on their aptly titled third album,
3. They basically pick up where
1-2 left off, sharpening their punk edges for a style that's confident and unapologetic like
The Stooges, and equally cool to
The Gore Gore Girls' surf-rock-tinged rock. Frontwoman
Sarah Staskauskas has finally cemented a lineup, and in the process, The Dishes have become a bossy crew. Such a gutsy disposition isn't exactly different from what's currently happening on a garage rock level, however
the Dishes honestly don't care. They're above being labeled and pigeonholed into any one genre. The one thing they want is to be regarded for crafting quick punk songs, and
3 delivers in that respect. Dual guitar riffs from
Staskauskas and
Kiki Yablon roar on "Blow Me Up (But Don't Blow My Cool)" and "Use Your Arms." The Dishes' rendition of
Warren Kendrick's "Action Woman" adds a little kink and cool to the song itself, highlighting the Chicago band's feverish presentation.
3 puts
the Dishes up against the boys' school of punk and kicks 'em right to the curb.