Excuse 17 made it perfectly clear that the band was inspired by the rabble rousers in Bikini Kill, Bratmobile, and Heavens to Betsy, and sure enough, those groups' influences show up all over the Olympia, WA, trio's first full-length. Which isn't to say that the album's 11 jagged 'n' ragged tracks are little but riot grrrl ripoffs. On the contrary, the defiantly unpolished Excuse 17 is an impressive debut, surging forward with a live-wire energy and stark honesty that helped make the riot grrrl scene so compelling in the first place. And though the album can sound tinny and dated at times, tracks like "Carson" and "Imaginary Friend" -- as well as the emotionally resonant "Hope You Feel Bad" and "Code Red" -- have wonderfully withstood the test of time.