The Toughest Girl Alive

by William Ruhlmann Candye Kane is a big-voiced blues singer with a twist. Though they are mostly credited as originals, the tunes are familiar from other blues, R&B, and jump blues compositions. The differences lie in Kane's lyrics and in her enthusiasm in singing them. The former adult film star stakes out a pan-sexual stance that she expounds lustily. Jack Tempchin's "Who Do You Love?" finds her endorsing homosexuality, a ménage à trois, and prostitution, and assuring her listeners that God does, too. Her own "(Hey Mister!) She Was My Baby Last Night" portrays an unexpected combination in a romantic triangle. In "For Your Love," Kane lists a series of sexual fantasy characters ranging from "a dominatrix with a whip up above" to "a White House intern." And "Let's Commit Adultery" states its position in its title. The backing band, which occasionally features Dave Alvin and Marcia Ball, is excellent, but the distinctive element in the mix is Kane's lusty persona.