Absurd Pop Song Romances
When Pansy Division formed in 1993, they were the only game in town, if quirky, lo-fi queer punk was your bag. Band founder and songwriter Jon Ginoli had a knack for writing riffy, three-chord songs that gave clever rhyming structure to all forms of fornicatory declamation (as suggested by singles "Touch My Joe Camel" and "James Bondage"). If you were expecting more of the same, you might be unprepared for the triumphant surprise ofAbsurd Pop Song Romance. Many will be rushing to attribute the massive power-pop brilliance of this record to producer Steve Albini, but we shouldn't rule out the possibility that Ginoli's musical vocabulary is finally reaching articulation. He's confident enough to re-create the rock anthems his former songs only hinted at. While the basic point here is still male-male love, Ginoli has widened his focus on this disc. Songs like the Stones-y/Byrds-y "Sweet Insecurity" describe the nerve wreckage that accompanies a crush, homo or hetero. The guitar-blasting "It'll Never Be the Same" is jacked-up punk not too far-flung from Albini's own Big Black.--Lois Maffeo