The Lounge Lizards

Against Will · #1 01-11-2005, 03:23 PM

Anyone have any of their discs? I'm listening to them right now and I'm enjoying them greatly. Going from cheesy, to abrasive, to twisted and then going straightforward. Sound like a No Wave Thelonious Monk. They even cover two Monk songs, and what covers they are!

EDIT: Word has it that Zappa fans enjoy this as well.

burk48237 · #2 01-12-2005, 12:26 PM

I've only heard them once, that was while I was rummaging around the bins of a used CD shop. They sounded pretty cool not exactly my cup of tea, and the bass playing didn't jump out at me but I wasn't listening that atentivly. I do appreciate bands who can play "out" but still have structure, they were very tight and I did hear at least two Monk tunes that were well done. They wern't " free jazz play anything you won't, Song X, sounds like a bad junior high band tunning up" I can't stand that stuff, kinda like playing basketball without a hope, whats the point?

Against Will · #3 01-12-2005, 12:37 PM

I've found that on their first/self-titled album the bass isn't mixed that well. Maybe it's the bassist's tone, but it doesn't really pop out in the mix that much, which is too bad because if you do listen, he does some pretty cool and clever lines.

The thing I enjoy most about it is probably that they have a keen sense of jazz tradition, but they're willing to do things that would piss off many jazzbo snobs, it adds to the humor of their pieces.

Also, the guitarist, Arto Lindsay, used to be in the legendary no wave combo DNA. You can definately hear the influence in his playing.

courderoy guy · #4 01-13-2005, 05:31 AM

If you like Lounge Lizards, I highly recommend you check out John Lurie's "Fishing with John" CD, which is music from the also-insane TV show. Great stuff!

Stingraymund · #5 01-13-2005, 02:01 PM

Trivia: John Lurie composed the theme song to "Late Night with Conan O'Brien."

Rumor has it that he initially applied for the bandleader gig, but it was given to Max Weinberg because the producers didn't like Lurie's personality. But they did purchase the rights to the theme song.

rulyøngo · #6 01-14-2005, 04:45 AM

great band, every one of their cd's has something good... my favorite is "THE VOICE OF CHUNK" great music!!!

BMGecko · #7 01-25-2005, 12:18 AM

I now own their self-titled relaease, stragely enough I listened to it last night before seeing this thread. I used to own "No Pain for Cakes" and "Big Heart: Live in Tokyo" on tape, and I liked them both. I had those two tapes when I was a punk-rock kid of maybe 14-15 years old, if the music has the spirit a punk rock kid could like, they at least had energy to 'em.

Likely their stuff is pretty good across the board. Not jazz in the Wynton Marsalis mold (where things seem to have to fit correctly) and far from the Kenny G tripe.