Those outside the Christian rock market ghetto may recognize Superchick from the band's appearances in numerous hit films -- onscreen in Legally Blonde and on the soundtracks to Glass House, Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, Catch That Kid, Legally Blonde 2, and Stewart Little 3 -- not to mention lots of TV shows. It's not hard to see why they'd be attractive to soundtrack programmers; the group's sound is rough around the edges (where the guitars crunch and the turntables scratch) but smooth and silky in the middle (where the vocal harmonies blend perfectly and the pop hooks bounce effortlessly). This is a band whose music is aimed at petulant but goodhearted 14-year-old Christians who like their parents but still want to feel like they're rebelling against something -- maybe against a bad boyfriend ("Bowling Ball") or maybe against the nonbelieving world ("Pure") or maybe against death ("We Live"). On the bathetic title track (a ballad with strings) you'll wish they had rebelled a little bit against their producer, and there are more than a couple of moments where their brattiness sounds more than a little bit prefabricated, but there's no denying the pure, sugarcoated pop pleasure to be found on just about every track here. ~ Rick Anderson
Superchick offers 10 well-crafted slices of catchy pop-punk with the hooky and hard-hitting BEAUTY FROM PAIN. With the exception of the bouncy grooves of "Pure" and "Stories," which allude to contemporary R&B, and the title track, a dramatic power-ballad, Superchick churns out energetic fare here that wouldn't sound out of place on rock radio alongside Blink 182 and Green Day.
Yet Superchick isn't your average alt-rock group. With an emphasis on positive Christian messages and tales of female empowerment (the leadoff track, "Anthem," is a case in point), Superchick imbues each song with a get-up-and-go attitude mirrored in the lively beats and crunching guitars. True to its title, BEAUTY FROM PAIN doesn't shy away from serious topics, yet the overall vibe is raucous, smile-inducing fun, an effect that stems directly from the band's accessible rock edge, layered female harmonies, and infectious, sing-along melodies. minimize