THE GIRLS’ TOXIC ROCK

Band: Poison Girls.

Personnel: Vi Subversa, vocals, guitar; Richard Famous, guitar; Cynth Ethics, keyboards; Lance D’Boyle, drums; Martin Heath, bass, steel guitar.

History: Formed in Brighton, England in 1977, Poison Girls (including 50-year-old singer Subversa) came from an experimental theater background. The group was initially aligned with Crass, the politically radical punk anarchist commune, and the Girls released singles, EPs and a debut album on the Crass label from ’79 to ’81. The band formed its own label, Xntrix, in ’81 and released a second album, “Where’s the Pleasure,” in ’82. The Poison Girls’ sound gradually shifted away from hard-core punk toward something brighter and poppier (though no less committed) and the band’s bubbling but sarcastic single “Happy Now” found some crossover success in ’83. San Francisco label CD Presents has just released the group’s latest album, “Songs of Praise.”

Sound: Having found time to develop its own style, Poison Girls sets a refreshing dose of down-to-earth humor and honesty in a diverse grab-bag of post-punk pop. Vi Subversa tackles issues of sexual jealousy, alienation and social lack of parity in a husky, conversational voice (somewhat like Marianne Faithfull’s), tempering any bitterness with a reflective, concerned pathos. Each song is framed in distinct settings: the slinky, funky power-glide of “Voodoo Pappadollar” recalls some of Eurythmics’ moodier pieces and “Riot in My Mind” runs on an urgent rock-ska foundation, while others include folky refrains, country tinges, pounding tribal drums and electro-pop humor. Sung by a woman with half a century of personal experience, the Poison Girls’ music balances maturity with youthful commitment and emotional compassion with a sense of determination.

Shows: The Lingerie, Saturday.