Shiny Mama

New York based band featuring a Ukranian supermodel on vocals, Yana Chupenko, who sounds like Ian Astbury's long lost sister. As such, there's a definite Cult vibe to these melodic rockers, particularly on soaring opener "Honey Bear". However, Shiny Mama are less interested in AC/DC crunch than they are with arena rocking, blues-y 70's power pop. Think Heart, only tougher. And skinnier. Bonus points for having a song called "Sleezy", although I might have to shave off a few since it's a condemnation, not a celebration. Album forthcoming, ought to be a powerhouse.
- www.sleazegrinder.com

Some Editorial Reviews :

**Laurent, Veglam.com Magazine
Get it if you like good female singers, you won't be disappointed...Yes, Yana can sing!

**Jeff Warren, Sleazegrinder.com
...it’s sleazy and heavy and glittery all at the same time...

**Suzy Amour, GirlPunk.net
What can I say? Shiny Mama rocks.

**David
http://www.reaktiv-zone.org
Shiny Mama arrives from NYC with this album called "What Comes Around Goes Around". Yana Chupenko, front leader of this band has been around for a while now. Fallen into rock as a young teen, she started her career in the 80's with P-M-S, one of the first all girl bands on LES. After several tours and transition bands, Yana seems to have found the good formula with Shiny Mama.
Still… with this amazing voice, this last album smells good like the ol' American rock'n roll. It's straight forward and the musicians are excellent ! With no doubt, Yana put her heart and her guts into it. Rock'n roll is not dead !!!

** Amazon.com - Album Description
About the Artist
Shiny Mama is the brainchild of vocal maven Yana Chupenko (formerly of PMS and Wench).
Yana Chupenko and company unleash a sonic assault of pure, unadulterated rock on this first full length release by New York's, Shiny Mama. Yana's sultry voice carries the tunes, which are a mix of straight-ahead rock and roll and punk/metal. The hooks are not sparse and the whole disc spins as one incredible over-indulgence in rock mayhem.

- Various sources

Yana used to sing for a lower east side bratgirl outfit called PMS in the late 80's, and then later with fem-metallers WENCH. She has looks, style, and an incredible voice. I'd heard she was still going strong in a more straight-ahead rock mode with a band - Shiny Mama, When they got booked into a 'Rock Candy' night at Don Hills I made a point to attend.. even finding the time in the middle of electroclash 2002. It was a welcome antidote to the cool pose & mime posse. Yana warmly clasped the crowd to her bosom and then rocked them with enough vocal low-end torque to render much hosiery defunct. - http://punkcast.com/206/index.html

First thing I need to say about Shiny Mama: Damn, Yana Chupenko can sing. The front woman of this Manhattan rock band is a seasoned artist whose operatic background comes forth not in lofty vocal range (ala Pat Benatar) but in pure lung power. It was such a relief to hear real singing, not nasal whining. Can I tell you how much I hate nasal and whiny? Yana’s sultry vocal style is sexy like Debbie Harry, but more lioness than pussycat, and soulful like a harder Heart. The music on the self titled album goes from 70’s/80’s arena-rock to metal to punk, each track offering a distinct sound and melodic hook, delivering soaring elements that exude a Cult vibe in rock-pop songs such as "Honeybear" to Ziggy Stardust-esque edges in "You’re Beautiful." And cheeky lyrics such as-- My car has a flat/And I lost my favorite cat--on "I Love You" keep this serious rock band above the heavy metal grim palate to staying on the "lighter-fare" side of the menu.

Not that there is anything light going on in the line-up. Gathering from the Shiny Mama bio, the members are formerly of recognizable bands-- Noel Rockwood (lead guitar/backing vocals, The Snapdragons); Jonny Cragg (drums/ backing vocals, Spacehog, ); Michael Denarie (bass guitar/backing vocals)--and respected musical backgrounds. Yana, herself, sprouted on the lower east side of Manhattan and started P.M.S., a punk/metal girl-band that made the college radio circuit in the 80‘s. She later spread her talents out in Wench which toured Europe with Agnostic Front, before forming Shiny Mama, a band that expresses her tough roots in rock. All the above is evident in this no studio gimmicks recording. Tight. Powerful. Straight-up stuff.

What can I say? Shiny Mama rocks. And again, while listening to Shiny Mama, Yana injects such rock-mama crass-itude in the ear, I’m considering putting "Fuck" back in my daily vocabulary. (And it took me years to get it out!) Oh yeah. And she’s beautiful, smart, ambitious. Russian glam meow! A business woman (VP at Toni &Tina Cosmetics) by day, rock-vixen by night. A shiny example for any cool-grrrl. We should support this sistah!

Okay, enough Yana, Yana, Yana. If Shiny Mama ever bleeps on the club radar. Just go. I am. Unless they’re in straight jackets, I can’t imagine they’d be anything but atomic.

In the meantime, get the CD for a dose of some booty-kickin’ rock!

-Suzy Amour
- http://www.coolgrrrls.com/2/cds/sizzlingcds5.html