An incomplete history of Chicago punk rock (vol. 3)

Posted on 20 February 2006 | 2 Comments

Filed Under: Chicago Punk, Punk

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“Chicago’s The Lawrence Arms are a gritty but clever punk rock trio that trace their beginnings back to 1999. These three punks/hunks/drunks blend East Bay punk with an intelligent and introspective Midwest sound. Take those musical influences and add a heap of bad television, some leftist literature, and exactly three cases of the cheapest most watery piss-beer you can muster, and you’re just beginning to get an idea of what this band is about. Imagine Aaron Cometbus and the guys from Jawbreaker sitting around happily drinking Hamm’s from martini glasses in a dank Chicago basement whilst watching Press Your Luck or The Rockford Files.” – Fat Wreck Chords

The band’s members have been playing punk rock for quite some time and (when they weren’t drinking) previously spent time in great bands like Slapstick, Tricky Dick, Baxter, Colossal, and The Broadways. The Lawrence Arms have five full-length albums and a few splits out on both Asian Man Records and Fat Wreck Chords and continue to keep Chicago’s great punk rock tradition alive and well in today’s era or watered down so called punk music.

Their new album Oh! Calcutta! is due out on March 7th on Fat Wreck. I’ve heard it’s their best yet.

MP3 | The Lawrence Arms – Great Lakes/Great Escapes Oh! Calcutta!
MP3 | The Lawrence Arms – Lose Your Illusion 1 Oh! Calcutta!
MP3 | The Lawrence Arms – Quincentuple Your Money Cocktails & Dreams
MP3 | The Lawrence Arms – Drunk Mouth Kitchen Smile The Greatest Story Ever Told
MP3 | The Lawrence Arms – Porno And Snuff Films Apathy And Exhaustion

Comments

1 andy - 883 days ago In my opinion, the history of chicago punk should be focused on the great bands these guys came from, not the mediocre one they now all share.

I'm reminded of one perth rimeseltz and his particular obsession with Slapstick's "The Park"

2 Eric - 881 days ago Andy, rather than simply feature all the classics, I'm going through the modern Chicago bands as well that will someday be part of the history. And yes, Perth was a big Slapstick fan. Still is.