ARTIST: The Dead Milkmen
TITLE: Big Lizard in My Back Yard
YEAR RELEASED: 1985
CHART ACTION: None
SINGLES: None
OTHER SONGS YOU MAY KNOW: Bitchin’ Camaro
LINEUP: Dave Blood, Joe Jack Talcum, Rodney Anonymous, Dean Clean (Dave Schulthise, Joe Genaro, Rodney Linderman, Dean Sabatino)
WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT: Snotty punk parodists hit more than miss with their debut full-length album.
SOME WORDS, PHRASES AND CLAUSES ABOUT THIS RECORD: Sure, there are some things on this album that are probably offensive to almost everyone (I don’t think anyone could get away with “Taking Retards to the Zoo” now, unless they’re totally misanthropic) but the attitude and effort the Dead Milkmen put into their parodies is rather infectious.
Like most satire or parody, not everything hits, but the first several cuts and, of course, “Bitchin’ Camaro” hit right on the money. The second half is a bit spottier, and some tracks were recorded in a different session which sounds like it came from a home tape deck and not a real studio.
Depending on your tolerance for the lesser tracks and / or your tolerance for being offended, the first half makes this a definite winner.
NOTES & MINUTIAE: In case you didn’t notice, the first half of “Bitchin’ Camaro” is totally improvised.
IS THERE A DELUXE VERSION: No
GRADE: B+: The first half of the record is a straight A, after “Bitchin’ Camaro” it drops off in quality.