The Lawrence Arms

Porno And Snuff Films [EP] (2002)

John Gentile

It’s a stretch to call The Lawrence Arms “Ramonescore,” but maybe there actually are more similarities than at first glance. Of course, one of the core elements of the Ramones was how they appeared to be knuckleheads at surface level, but thanks to Dee Dee’s edged humor, Tommy’s love of 50s rock, and Joey’s lovelorn disposition, they were actually one of the most intelligent bands in the punk scene. The Lawrence Arms certainly don’t follow 1-2-3-4 charge format, but check out the titled of their 2002 Fat Wreck Chords single: Porno and Snuff Films.

Here’s a band that likes to project that they’re reveling in filth. But in reality, they approach nastiness in the same way the outsider authors would- filth as described from high station. As they state on the a-side, “There's no good taste in this art space / Straight porno and snuff films, I should be disgraced /Well, I'm titillated, it's tantalizing.” The single exhibit the band doing what they do best- making statements about society as a whole as seen through the seedier side and trash culture- but always from a literary or high art lens. If you read the lyrics close enough, there’s probably a Van Gough reference.

The trend continues through the rest of the EP. But, perhaps equally as interesting, the band doesn’t really draw their sly references or big points into the microscope. Really, most of their most worked lyrics are covered in a wash of blown out vocals and charging riffs (as melodic as they may be). The guess is that the Lawrence Arms know they’re clever, but their also not so vain as to point that out to you. Like the giant literary classics you read in High School and College, the big points aren’t so much highlighted as they are interwoven with everything else, leaving it for you to do the work to see how much work they’ve actually done. These tracks might be fast and poppy and funny at times, but there’s a craftsman hand here. Whereas the Ramones would hide their cleverness buy whittling down their bare minimum, Larry Arms hide it with maximalism and somewhat shocking titles.