The Nuns – Rumania

Similar to the more commercial new wave sound, pioneering San Franciscan punk band the Nuns were back after a six year absence and as we know, a lot can change over that period of time. The old hardcore and punk groups were either disbanded or changed styles radically, and the Nuns fell into the latter camp. Sure, they've always had this poppy edge to them, with piano and keyboard a part of their repertoire, as well as male / female vocals, but this bad boy really screams 1986. Founding member Alejandro Escovedo (Sheila E.'s brother!) is long-gone, and the band has rounded their punky edges into a full-fledged synth rock act.

For a brief moment in the late ’70s, it seemed as if the Nuns might be the catalyst for a successful new wave/punk scene in San Francisco. Instigated by Alejandro Escovedo as a college project, the band quickly earned media praise and garnered a rabid local cult following. But time quickly passed them by. Aggressive musicianship and demanding vocals — especially Jennifer Miro’s ice-cold, intense singing — make the first album (which the group had to reform to record) well worth hearing. Lyrically, the Nuns spoke to the decadent side of life as well as anyone, with such tales as “Wild,” “Child Molester” and “Suicide Child.” The Nuns inexplicably reformed again, with much the same lineup, for another, more innocuous, album six years later. Miro and Jeff Olener share the vocals on Rumania, a sophisticated dance record that generally resembles a tasteful version of the group Berlin. Although he’s evidently serious, Olener’s idiotic melodramatics suggest Fred Schneider as a sarcastic lounge sleaze, while the far more talented Miro melds nicely with the lightweight synthesizer concoctions.

Things get off to a shaky start with two not very good songs - "It's A Dream" sounds like a second rate Blondie - but things begin to pick up with "Romania," thankfully; elsewhere, the very pretty "Black and White" shines brightly, and things really begin to cook on the absolute bangin' "We Are the Damned" - the highlight for me. In fact, Side 2 generally slays Side 1. "My Religion" has a heavy, galloping feel, trampling all in its path, while "Iron Claw" and "I, Monster" gives us a good dose of goth pop / rock with interesting guitar work.

Ripped to MP3 @ 320kbps

A1 New York City
A2 It's A Dream
A3 Romania
A4 Angeles Domini
A5 Black & White
B1 We Are The Damned
B2 My Religion
B3 Iron Claw
B4 I, Monster
B5 Walk Through The Mirror