(Last Laugh) These late-seventies New Orleans pop punks (though pretty straight
up power pop, with much of their punk pedigree coming post-mortem by virtue of
KBD-adoption of their only single, and the fact that its flip was titled
“Hardcore”) were honored not long ago with the exhuming of relatively lost
recordings released as the “Vacation to Nowhere” LP/CD. That a band known for a
sole obscure 45 has had two full album-length sessions of top quality lost
material (with a few repeats of songs per session) dug out and dusted off is an
archeological miracle. Though both sessions were from 1979 this one is a little
grittier, with less pop sheen then the other tracks (though the exact same
grab-you-by-the-balls pop hooks), and the vocals are a little more fake British
in these sessions. But this band
was all-American, and by multiplying their musical footprint tenfold the Normals
and the Last Laugh reissue label now can be thought of as less of a footnote in
Crescent City punk history and more of thrilling early chapter. And putting
history aside, it sure is fucking fun to listen to good, virile power pop that tastes
fresh and delicious decades after brewing.
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