by Tom Demalon

Happy Birthday to Me is the third album for the Muffs, a punk-influenced trio led by lead singer and guitarist Kim Shattuck. Rounding out the band on this self-produced effort are bassist Ronnie Barnett and drummer Roy McDonald. Shattuck sounds like a young Joan Jett especially on the driving "Crush Me" and "All Blue Baby." The band churns out an impressive wall of crunchy, melodic, glam-tinged rock without sacrificing lyrics, which are both clever and catchy. Highlights are the rumble of "Honeymoon," the jaunty "Pennywhore," and the playful "Outer Space." Happy Birthday to Me is a supercharged collection of bite-sized tracks (half the songs are less than two minutes long), which leave the listener wanting more.