“Judging from their Web site design theme and the title of their debut album, Don’t Tell a Soul, San Francisco’s Lipstick Conspiracy are going for something of an incognito vibe. But we’ve had our eyes on them for a while now, and we think it’s about time to blow their cover.  The transgendered rock band features five glamour-pusses and harmony-laden power pop songs with infectious hooks like you might have heard while trolling the dial for Top 40 songs back in the early ’80s.  Frontwomen Sarafina Maraschino, Shawna Love, and Marilyn Mitchell switch off vocal and guitar duties, while Tori Tait handles the keyboards and newest member Emme Yarwood lays down the law on the drums (the group recently retired their two drum machines).  Lately the sassy starlets have been spreading their gospel of gender transgression and sexual liberation all over town, with recent performances including a spot on San Francisco Pride’s main stage and a July 17 party at Martuni’s celebrating their album release.”

SF Bay Guardian, Best of the Bay 2004, by Lynn Rapoport