Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom

Hands up: who remembers New Wave? Not today's neo-New Wave but the original stuff from the late '70's? One of the most ridiculous New Wave albums ever released (in a good way) is the self-titled debut of the Suburban Lawns, five arty post-punk goofballs from Long Beach, CA. Most of the songs (on what turned out to be their only album) are the usual smug attacks on what we would now call "family values" (exemplified by the hi-energy white kid ska of "Mom And Dad And God"). When the band sidesteps this stance is when they really chose the route less travelled. Take one listen to Janitor to see what I mean. The chorus ("I'm a janitor/Oh my genitals") was created around a misheard statement by one band member to another. Lead vocalist Su Tissue couldn't sound more deadpan, even outdoing the bored delivery of Deborah Evans from the dearly-missed Flying Lizards. I see this album used now and then at various vinyl shops specializing in the castoffs of music fads from the past. If you're looking for the easy way in, always start with the good folks at Gemm. If you're interested in knowing more about the band, there isn't much out there, except here and here.