Night Court Nervous Birds! LP
Vancouver’s NIGHT COURT is back with a remastered reissue of their first two releases, (Nervous Birds! One and Nervous Birds! Too) on one LP. NIGHT COURT plays lo-fi garage pop that leans more toward the dirt pop spectrum than garage punk. It’s straightforward, sometimes jangly, and there’s a pop element throughout. The lyrics are audible and intelligent, full of pop culture references, wasted nights, and sarcasm, and often delivered via dual vocalists. “Surfin Iona” is a standout for me, with drummer Emilor taking the lead and sounding like a bizarro version of Kate Pierson of the B-52’S. There’s a line from the song “Yr Ride” that stuck with me after a few listens: “Death is a hard ride / Heaven’s a joyride / Until you get caught with your pants down.” If there’s a heaven, I certainly want to arrive bare-assed! For someone with zero attention span, 26 songs is a lot to digest at once. I get why these were originally separate releases, but existing fans will love having these in all one place and on vinyl for the first time. It’s a cool showcase of the band’s early output, and fans of bands like MARKED MEN or even early SHINS will find something to love.