I hate Linda Perry for a lot of reasons. First of all, 4 Non Blondes was a supercool rock group with a supertough female lead–something there’s not nearly enough of in modern rock–and she broke ’em up because they were getting too big. Then, she did this wicked cool solo album with another powerful female lead–Grace Slick–and didn’t follow that one up, either. Then she loaned her strength to Pink and crafted a popgirl record that was actually pretty damn awesome. Now, she sends me a submission–Deep Dark Robot–that’s as good as anything she’s done before, and I see it’s on an imprint, Custard Records. Unfortunately, it’s an RIAA album. And I have a policy of not getting sued, and at the same time trying to help struggling artists who haven’t been able to get major label support yet (or have eschewed it). Yeah, but it’s her own label, so it’s okay. Really. I hope.

This album is just too good–nay, too great–to ignore. If you dug her prior work, you’ll love this. If you always wished Melissa Etheridge would move away from formula blues and really knock an emotionally deep song out of the park, you’ll love this. If you like Sleater Kinney or any other grrrl group, you’ll love it. Goddamn it, you’ll just love it. So taste it below and then go buy it. And to all the girls Ms. Perry has helped to stardom, take note: This is what real, raw, and gutsy music sounds like.

Fuck you, Linda Perry. Please don’t sue me for offering your brilliant music to my fans.