Women are sluts, ho bags, dykes, byzantine bitches, inferior and enjoy being chained . . . at least that's what the majority of MTV's videos would lead you to belive.

Fighting back against the music industry and this prejudice are a handful of groups like L7, Hole, Bikini Kill (they sing "Suck My Left One") and Bratmobile. They'd sooner blow smoke in Mariah Carey's face then kow tow to stereotypes of femininity.

The recent trend for all-women bands is to be as angry and as loud as decibel levels permit. Unfortunately, for some of these bands most of their talent lies in its scream and not in musicianship.

The Breeders represent the difference. Rage is replaced by really good songs. Composed of the Pixies' Kim Deal, her twin sister Kelley Deal, the Throwing Muses' Tanya Donelly, Josephine Wiggs and lone male Mike Hunt.

With its new four-song EP, Safari the band progresses from 1990's Pod. On this one, the songs froth cool grunge and short feedback vignettes.

The EP has a certain unrehearsed quality. Songs stop, start, sputter, cough and wheeze in unpolished glory.

The first song, "Do You Love Me Now" opens with that voice. Somewhere in between a growl and a hush, Kim Deal's vocals stand out like a Courtney Love scream, only not as annoying.

With the lyrics, "Does love ever end/when two hearts are torn away/or does it go on/and beat strong anyway," Deal tackles love with her own twist. The song is a restrained masterpiece that should cause any Pixies' fan to ignore even Trompe Le Monde.

The standout and title track, "Safari" glistens with its frantic beat and guitars that would make Mudhoney blush. It's dark and cynical and a polar opposite to the album's final song, a cover of the Who's "So Sad About Us."

It is sure to make the summer brighter with its cheery harmonies and Byrds-like strumming. This song could make Henry Rollins smile openly.