Game Theory albums

1987

LOLITA NATION – 94%

               Lolita Nation is one on the milestone albums of the 1980’s, one of those records that screams just try and UNDERSTAND THIS! Among the 20 or so actual songs present, ranging from the purest of pop to the darkest abstractions of experimental rock- there are also 7 or 8 snippets of tracks that only add to the odd allure of the record. Under the guise of influences such as Alex Chilton’s Big Star, The Who’s Tommy, and early 80’s friends in the Paisley Underground cult (Dream syndicate, Three O’Clock, Green on Red, The Bangles, etc), this record is quite the beast to try and comprehend on first listen. On multiple listens the odd time signatures, purposefully long song titles, and free spirit does suck you in and it becomes quite the amazing mix of everything rock music had done to that point.

               There are irresistible vocal hooks (Chardonnay”, Mammoth Gardens”), big fun rock songs (“Look Away”, “Last Day That We Are Young”) unreal songs that beg to be deciphered (the odd chorus to “The Real Sheila”, the bluesy hoedown of “One More for Saint Michael”) and the straight up hypnotic guitar lines of “Nothing New”. A book could probably written about tunes as twisted and fun as “The Waist and the Knees” and the abstract “Dripping with Looks”, not to mention the 50-songs-in-one that is the “All Clockwork….” toward the end of the jazz influenced third side of the original vinyl record. At its core, Lolita Nation is made by five people who just know what they love and sing about it; vocalists change quite often from track to track and the male/female backing vocals are just about perfect. It’s true proof that masterpieces of albums are out there if you look just keep looking for them.

Best Songs:  mammoth gardens, The Waist and the Knees, Dripping with Looks, Chardonnay, Look away