San Francisco singer/songwriter Penelope Houston has

completed her first major label album, Cut You, which is set for an

early February release. Houston, who in the late '70s led the pioneering punk

band, The Avengers ("We Are The One"), has spent her post-punk years fashioning

a truly unique folk/rock hybrid that makes use of mandolin, autoharp and

melodica, as well as bass, drums and guitars. The new album features classic

Houston material t(hat has appeared on five indie solo albums) but that was

rerecorded for the new album, along with six brand new songs including "Secret

Sign," "Scratch" and "Locket." Houston has always been a strong woman who,

rather then mouthing feminist rhetoric, has served as a role model by always

taking the lead role in her musical projects, and by writing sophisticated

lyrics that examine male/female relationships. The upcoming album includes

"Glad I'm A Girl," which features the singalong chorus: "If it's a man's world/

Then I'm glad I'm a girl." Houston recently debuted her newly electrified

band--guitarists Meletios Peppas and Eliot Nemzer; bassist Steven Strauss and

drummer Kevin Mummey--at the Addicted To Noise anniversary party. Houston is

will tour following the release of Cut

You.