Nurds

by The Roches

Overview

In another part of the world in 1979, post-punk bands like the Slits and the Raincoats were making prickly, challenging music from a female perspective. Meanwhile, the Roches were working on their sophomore album, Nurds, a likewise prickly and challenging folk-pop album from a group whose ties to Paul Simon and the Greenwich Village folk scene probably cost them some of their potential underground following. Make no mistake, though -- Nurds is a downright arty album in places. It's impossible to listen to the title track without thinking of the Raincoats (assuming you're familiar with the Raincoats), and the lyrics throughout are alternately weird, amusing, and poetic. The harmonies are sweet one moment and dissonant the next, while the subject matter changes in an instant from chocolate to boat people, or to a bizarre in-joke about Suzzy Roche washing clothes at the laundromat. Nurds was a charting album in 1980, and kudos to the Roches for managing to sell this unusual and creative album to the masses. ~ Greg Adams

Product Details

Release Date:	10/25/1990
Label:	Warner Bros.
UPC:	0075992347525
Rank:	6597

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Roches   Primary Artist
Suzzy Roche   Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar,Vocals
Bob Conti   Percussion
Bobby Gordon   Clarinet
Fred Smith   Bass (Electric)
Jay Dee Daugherty   Drums
Jon Mathias   Bass,Bass (Electric)
Lincoln Goines   Bass,Bass (Acoustic)
Maggie Roche   Vocals,Guitar (Acoustic)
Terre Roche   Vocals,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Gabriel Katona   Synthesizer
Robert Conti   Percussion
Maggie & Terre Roche   Guitar,Vocals,Synthesizer
Frank Smith   Bass

Technical Credits

Dave Alhard   Assistant Engineer
Suzzy Roche   Composer
Cole Porter   Composer
Greg Calbi   Mastering
Margaret A. Roche   Composer
Jon Mathias   Engineer
Maggie Roche   Composer
Terre Roche   Composer
Roy Halee   Engineer,Producer
Irene Young   Photography
Tim Ritchie   Design,Art Direction