The Nuns

 

San Francisco's early punk/new wave combo, the Nuns' 1980 record was issued on CD on Radiation Records a few years back but I just found it and picked it up. Of course, I was a fan back in the day with the lovely Jennifer Miro on keys and some lead vocals - they had three lead vocalists altogether! - and punky looking cats forming the rest of the band - certainly a different look and vibe than pretty much any other band on the scene at the time. Jennifer was a true femme fatale type while most other females in punk bands were adopting a much tougher looking facade.

Formed in the mid-70's with Alejandro Escovedo and Jeff Olener as part of a film school project, they became one of SF's first "punk" bands and with their striking image and catchy tunes, they became one of the more popular prospects, as well. They often traveled to LA, where I would see them, as most California combos traversed the state looking for new fans and new places to play. Unfortunately, they split up shortly after this recording and while there were numerous reformations, they never really recaptured their original energy. I have just sadly seen that Jeff'n'Jennifer have both passed on, as well.

This short - less than 30 minutes - record highlights their strengths and some of their best tunes, with the various vocalists sharing duties and Jennifer's keyboards adding a different dimension to the proceedings. The opening "Savage" rocks along solidly with melodic vocals from Jennifer and nice backing vocals, "Media Control" is a bit punkier with one of the guys taking the lead on it, some cool feedback opens "World War III", another one of the guys' punkier numbers but with keyboards filling it out and a call'n'answer chorus. More electric piano for Jennifer's melodic'n'catchy "You Think You're the Best", a piercing two note guitar riff gives us the slow, brooding "Walkin' the Beat" with cool vocal trade-offs from everyone, it sounds like. 

The simply titled "Wild" incorporates plenty of keys'n'pretty melodies'n'backing from Jennifer but with a good, 70's punk groove, good dynamics with keys'n'guitars highlight one of the guy's straight-ahead "Getting Straight", "Confused" almost sounds like Alejandro's brother's Zeroes (a good thing, to be sure!), "Child Molester" is a fast, punk number (but with keys!) that kinda reminds me of the Rubber City Rebels (again, a good thing!). I think their "hit", such as it was, was the great "Suicide Child" that moves from moody, cinematic, slow keys for the verses to a powerful sing-along chorus ('you slit your wrist, you stupid bitch, suicide child") - obviously, the subject matter wouldn't get them on the radio, but it one of their best-written songs! I would have thought that would have been the album closer but they chose "Lazy", with just Jennifer and her piano that sounds somewhat similar to Jane Bond and the Undercover Men's "So Bored", complete with nonchalant, monotone-ish singing.

Remember, this is from a time when things like "punk" and "new wave" blurred lines and there wasn't so many rules about what you were supposed to sound like. This is not as straight ahead as bands like the Zeroes, but it is great in its own way, if you can dig electric piano with your punk! Get it!