Ms. Lambert and her heavy friends convene on her third album and the comparisons to Patti Smith and PJ Harvey seem a little less promiscuous than they did before – especially on tracks such as “Day of the Demon”, which strives for, and achieves, a sort of incantory power specific to this kind of witchy distaff punk. Opening number “Thrill Pill Kill” is the only downer - from the unpromising title to the somewhat glib politicizing, it doesn’t work for me. Everything else succeeds beautifully, largely through Lambert’s unfussy, cyclical compositions and poetics. “She tried to kill herself with mercury…” she sings on “7even” Why? I don’t fucking know. Meanwhile, anyone who has heard “Andy’s Song” will report that it never leaves your head – ever. Producer Chris Houston gets it just right – Unlimited Growth is clean and uncluttered. Lambert’s strictly rhythmic guitar playing is as tastefully economical as the words are florid, while bassist Walter Brady and drummer Kurt Dahle nail the bastard into the floor. You’ll notice Gord Nichol (Pointed Sticks) and John Armstrong (Modernettes) in the album credits too – making Unlimited Growth something of a summit meeting for more than one generation of Vancouver’s music heroes. www.sannelambert.com - Mack

Nerve: What is “Utopia Refined” all about?

Sanne: It's self-explanatory. He's different, incarcerate him and bring me a rapist instead. A sardonic take on society and how people are expected to assimilate.

Walter: Yeah, the rapist is, for lack of a better analogy, the Barrabas of the story.

Nerve: What have you achieved here in contrast to your previous albums?

Sanne: Production Values. Personal development. An album is a moment in time as is a live performance. You do your best and then move on. Making music is like a disease. I cannot stop it. I am not working on one album. I am working on a series.

Walter: Everyone involved was quite sympathetic with the project so there was a real ensemble feel. It really sounds like a band rather than just a bunch of people with guitars.

Nerve: You had Chris Houston, Gord Nichol, Kurt Dahle, Walter Brady and John Armstrong all in the same room at the same time. Who was the first one to get drunk and violent?

Sanne: Me.

Walter: Yep. Word to the wise - never, EVER get her started on the current state of Reality TV.

Sanne: Chris Houston was instrumental in getting us those great guitar sounds. He kept saying he couldn't make anything that wasn't musical. He arranged it so I could use the same Marshall cab that was used to record Marianne Faithfull's Broken English. That was pretty cool. Gord Nichol is the quintessential engineer. Kurt Dahle was brought in on the fly and really stood up. In studio, when I was pondering whether he even needed a click, he was shouting out, with headphones on, "More click, please!” Walt Brady and I have been playing together for six years now. He has really had a chance to shine with this project. I think he's finally starting to like me now, too. John Armstrong was very supportive of my ideas. Sometimes it can be a little intimidating being in a room with a bunch of boys.

Nerve: What’s easier – being the internationally renowned creative force behind Venus and Mars or getting a free beer out of a Vancouver promoter?

Sanne: Free beer is the only thing you can get out of a Vancouver promoter!

Walter: All it takes is the right submission hold.

Nerve: I’ve had “Andy’s Song” in my head every waking moment of my life for the last month now. What should I do about this?

Sanne: Listen to The Bangles.

Walter: It might be a little obvious, but Minnie Riperton's la la la chorus in "Lovin' You" will choke the life out of any tune, good, bad or otherwise that is running through your head, but really should only be considered as a very last resort. Operating heavy machinery after a pitcher or two of rye and Neo Citron has been deemed by some as less risky.

Sanne:Does anyone else agree that the 80's were and are a cultural vacuum?

Nerve: What’s the story behind that one?

Sanne: These are true childhood stories.

Nerve: Any thoughts on the new Crackwhore album?

Sanne: I realize that everything has already been done, but I am aspiring to the personal original thought, therefore I cannot listen to it, because it might cause undue influence.

Walter: If I say I like it, will they leave me alone?

- Mack