Customer Reviews

Absurd Pop Song Romances

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
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I'm a little late to the party as far as this CD is concerned, but ever since I bought it I haven't removed it from my CD player. This is pure power pop -punk perfection, with the heavy bass and drums and crunchy riffs you might expect from an Albini produced album, but the sharp musicianship is all Pansy Division. They get a lot of attention for their cheeky, gleefully filthy lyrics, but this recoding seems to highlight them more as musicians, with the lyrics - although still clever and occasionally risque - taking second place. And these guys can play - dear lord, they'll kick your butts. There's almost no skippable tracks on this CD - you can just let it play. Yes, lyrically it's more serious and slightly downbeat than their previous albums, but it's still fantastic stuff.


And how did "Bad Boyfriend" NOT become a crossover hit for these guys? It could get radio play now and not seem dated (true of all these songs). Lyrically sleek and smart and unbelievably catchy, this could have been a breakthrough for the guys if the record company just promoted it right. (No wonder the guys went over to Alternative Tentacles ... )

You don't have to be gay to like Pansy Division, and that's even more true with this album. An absolute must for all fans of punk-pop. Instantly in my personal top five CDs.

I've seen Pansy Division in concert at Minneapolis' Seventh Street Entry twice, and they've long been on of my favorite bands. Their new CD, Absurd Pop Song Romance, where the trio of Chris, Jon and Luis is joined by the terrific stage presence of Patrick, helps this great band, whose fame is largely due to word of mouth publicity to grow.

Their sound has changed sharply from solid headbanger music into a softer, professional style, while maintaining their in-your-face gay sensibility. The lyrics are as clever as ever, and their title track, Absurd Pop Song Romance could put them in the mainstream if it gets enough pop radio airplay.

Chalk another one up for this gayest of gay rock bands! Absurd Pop Song Romance is their best CD yet!

I FIRST SAW THEM AT A GREEN DAY CONCERT.THERE MUSIC MAKES ME SMILE.I SENT THERE TAPE TO ENGLAND A RELATIVE WANTED TO HERE THEM.SHE TOOK IT TO A GAY BAR AND THEY LOVED IT.MY FAVORITE TAPE BY THEM IS TITLED UNDRESSED.MY SISTER LIKES JAMES BONDAGE AND GROOVY UNDERWEAR.WE LISTEN TO THERE MUSIC BECAUSE ITS FUN,EVEN THOUGH WE ARE NOT GAY.SO LISTEN,LAUGH AND ENJOY.

After five straight cds of catchy yet monotonious sound and style of song writing, this one-trick pony has evolved into a melodious, hard-rocking BAND. The song writing has become modern, catchy, and mature. The musicianship has rapidly developed since their previous studio album though great vocal harmonies, tighter guitar sound, and tasteful drumming. From beginning to end, the album is very strong, without any weak filler.

This is speaking probably more from my own personal preference to the older sound of the group rather than the tightness of the band in their newest release. Their sound has evolved and there's some serious to go along with the humorous...a bit too much serious for my taste. Pansy Division's songs about the despair of being a gay male or current homosexual topics have just never raised my interest enough and I usually skip through them (save 'Deep Water' from the 'Deflowered album, which *is* rather touching*)

For the most part, I adore Pansy Division for the quirky songs as sung by Jon Ginoli. His voice has some character to it, whereas Chris Freeman's vocals sound so unbearably generic that I quickly zone out the majority of the tracks with him doing vocal work.

That's not to say that this album is a total loss, of course. There's the requisite songs that every average gay male can identify with: Too Beautiful, Bad Boyfriend, and Sweet Insecurity. The band definitely has a gift for creating songs that I, as an uncloseted gay male, can identify with but as for writing songs that draw attention to the plight of the gay male or any of the darker aspects of it...or even some of their punk rock love ballads they just fail, in my opinion. Oh well. Still worth buying if just for Luv Luv Luv.