Could it be?!? After 35 years, could we finally have found the all-female band worthy of succeeding Fanny as the Queens of Rock and Roll? With FROM THE GROUND UP, the debut release from Antigone Rising, the answer just might be yes. Oh, sure, both the GoGo's and the Bangles have been hugely successful, while groups ranging from the Donnas to Lillix to The Like have all generated varying degrees of press, but thus far no band has matched Fanny's real understanding of the word "nuance", nor has such a great appreciation of variety come into play....until now, with the five ladies of Antigone Rising. Much like the perfect blending of June and Jean Millington's and Alice de Buhr's Motown and California surf roots with Nickey Barclay's classic English rock ones, the women of Antigone Rising take rock, folk, country and R&B and mix it into a unique sound that is all their own. I will admit I was a little surprised the first time I heard the disc...I was under the impressiion that FROM THE GROUND UP would first be released as a limited edition live album, with the studio version to follow a few months later. The fact that the wider, later version was still live really isn't a problem; it's one of the cleanest live recordings ever, and showcases the group effectively. Opening up with the introductory jam of "Hello", things segue nicely into "Waiting, Watching, Wishing." With it's double guitar attack (acoustic and electric blending together beautifully!), punchy percussion, soaring lead vocal and lush harmonies, the track is proof positive that these five are the real deal! Next up is the radio friendly "Don't Look Back"...anyone from Sheryl Crow to the Dixie Chicks could have covered this gem and had a hit with it, but it's Antigone Rising's, and they're holding on to it! Once again, the instrumentation is smooth and precise, the vocal top-notch. A real winner! Things get edgier with "She's Not Innocent"....the arrangement's a bit more frenetic, the vocals darker, almost a tad menecing. As Cassidy wraps her considerable pipes around the cryptic lyrics ("He shines the light into the dark/and empty corner/right where the past had left it's mark/too late to warn her"), the song builds in intensity, culminating in a powerful, yet melodic, bridge. Another high point! There's a simple honesty to "Open Hearts And Doors" that's absolutely lovely (I bet Sarah, Alicia and Mariah would've KILLED to have written this beauty!), while "Michael"'s reflection on loss, the past and the desire to change it is both universal and touching. "Happy Home" is a wonderful blending of influences and styles....take one part Indigo Girls, add a dose of Ann and Nancy Wilson, mix in a pinch of the Dixie Chicks....and you have this infectious toe-tapper! The instrumentation is economical, the vocals silky, yet strong. WIN-NER! "You're The Reason" is a slice of blues rock paradise, equal parts Joplin and Joss Stone. Cassidy's vocals weave in and out of Cathy Henderson's smart guitar runs, while Jan Zielenbach's powerhouse bass lines anchor the track in a rootsy, atmospheric manner. Things are toned down a notch or ten on the delicate "Longshot", a pained love song in the same vein as Bonnie Raitt's brilliant "I Can't Make You Love Me." Cushioned by strumming guitars, Cassidy caresses the lyrics ("It's easy now when I look back/They call that 'retrospect'/if I had known that night would have such a ripple effect/I might have been more likely just to let that sleeping dog lie") with a vocal that is both raw and vulnerable. Another beauty! The group's ability to blend styles and sounds so effortlessly is also obvious on the laid-back "Better"....any female country artist out there today, from Reba and Faith to Martina and Shania, could have had a HUGE hit with this song...but it could have also worked for Joss Stone, Mary J. Blige or Norah Jones. Heck, even Diana Krall could've pulled off a smooth, jazzy version! It's that universal appeal that makes the song so stunning. Once again, Cassidy's vocals are amazing, the harmonies are spot-on, Dena Tauriello's drumming shines and the guitars - Cathy Henderson on lead, sister Kristen on rhythm - float out of the speakers in an almost hypnotic way. WOW! Then, just when you might be thinking things are getting a bit too mellow, the group kicks things up with the funky "She Lived Here." All snarling vocals and clever arrangement (both the keyboards and percussion really shine - the ladies might consider adding another female multi-instrumentalist to the band instead of using male sidemen...both instruments really add something to the mix, and having a woman play them would only add to the band's legitimacy as a self-contained all-female unit), this track ROCKS!! "Rosita", a song about dashed dreams and fruitless fantasies, has a spirited flamenco vibe to it, while "Broken" is both sweet and sad. Parents can often question their children's choices, but those same children often have doubts about their parent's lives as well ("Mother mine's a foolish game but/the same could be said/said about yours/He took your youth and he took your name"). The track is powerful and poignant, and would have been a great album closer. Instead, we get a radio edit version of "Don't Look Back" and a so-so studio cut, "Should've Been The One." That said, I know it's not enough for Antigone Rising to be the best all-female band to come down the pike in ages....if they're to last, they'll have to move beyond said novelty and just prove themselves as a BAND. However, if FROM THE GROUND UP is any indication, the women of Fanny must be letting out a collective sigh of relief...maybe all they went thru over three decades ago wasn't a waste after all (As with all my reviews, I'm giving the disc an extra half a star for including the lyrics).