Rock music in general took a very introspective, serious-minded turn with the
Nirvana/
Pearl Jam/grunge upheaval of the early '90s -- and while showmanship didn't disappear from the rock world altogether after alternative became rock's primary direction, it is safe to say that many alterna-rockers of the '90s and 2000s simply don't identify with the circus-like atmosphere that countless rockers favored in the '70s and '80s. But there are exceptions to that generalization, certainly: alterna-rockers who have the dark, downtuned guitars of a post-grunge world yet still have some of the hooks, melody, and showmanship of '70s and '80s rock; alterna-rockers who realize that being an entertainer and being an artist are not mutually exclusive. New York's
Morningwood and L.A.'s
Powder are perfect examples, as are Philadelphia's
Soraia -- who show considerable promise on their debut album,
Dirty Like Soraia. That title is appropriate because
Soraia do have a dirty, grungy, hard-hitting approach, but they also have a melodic, hooky approach -- and the Philadelphians draw on a healthy variety of direct or indirect influences ranging from
Nirvana and
L7 to
the Pretenders to
Concrete Blonde,
Sonic Youth, and
Hüsker Dü. Clearly, grunge and post-grunge have greatly affected
Soraia's appealing sound, but pre-'90s metal, hard rock, punk, and new wave are an important part of the picture as well. The band has a powerhouse of a lead singer in
Sue Francia, whose big, take-charge vocals are a major asset on loud and forceful yet melodic offerings such as "Cap Gun," "Jaguar Shark," "Need," and the bluesy "Breakdown." By CD standards,
Dirty Like Soraia isn't terribly generous; the disc lasts just under 28 minutes. But 27 to 28 minutes of excellence are preferable to 70 or 75 minutes of mediocrity, and excellence is definitely what prevails on
Soraia's first album.