Pop Music Reviews : Solid Musicianship From 4 Non Blondes

At a time when most female-dominated bands seem to be making a name for themselves by punching, kicking and screaming as hard as their male counterparts, 4 Non Blondes are relying on a more novel approach: writing strong, innovative songs and backing them with solid musicianship.

The San Francisco-based group followed the release of its debut album, “Bigger, Better, Faster, More!,” with a show on Saturday at Club Lingerie, where dreadlocked lead singer Linda Perry sounded like a cross between Janis Joplin and Heart’s Ann Wilson. She also displayed an engaging stage presence and a knack for endearing gestures, especially on the numbers when she didn’t play guitar.

Although troubled at the start by a poor sound mix, the rest of the band--guitarist (and sole male member) Roger Rocha, drummer Dawn Richardson and bassist Christa Hillhouse--turned in a virtually flawless performance of the Non Blondes’ blend of funk, folk, R&B; and home-grown psychedelia, managing to capture a good deal of the quirky emotion of the album.