Playing like a tribute album to every female singer that's ever gotten a good review, this UK quartet's debut mixes rock and dance grooves and falls short in the originality department. Earnestness can be painfully boring. Vocalist/bassist Sarah Daly's tortured, heart-on-her-sleeve lyrics stand at the forefront of the songs on Violence Is Golden, though her delivery too often sounds borrowed from other (more famous and groundbreaking) chanteuses. Opener "Joy" is an impressive maelstrom of churning guitars and beats, but Daly's caterwaul sounds as if she's unabashedly channelling Chrissie Hynde. The song's simple keyboard solo sounds straight outta Berlin's "Sex (I'm A)" and doesn't help Scanners' cause. Was that meant to be ironic? Likewise, "Lowlife" rocks hard, but Daly comes off like a Karen O. wannabe. The same criticism can be said on most of the other tracks, just fill in Gwen Stefani or Siouxsie Sioux where necessary. It's only on "Raw" that Daly finally finds her own voice. Backed by a bandmates that have decent chops, this song should serve as the starting point for their next album.
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