
Sounds-(UK) June 22, 1985
SUBURBAN NIGHTMARE- A Hard Day's Nightmare
"Aberrant behaviour is common coinage in the garage punk arena, so
it's comforting when a truly demented product is disgorged by the process
of voluntary historical destruction. The Suburban Nightmare achieve such
a chronic tonic and it goes down just like rat poison and Ribena.
Coming on like a K-Tel Cramps kitsch wipeout, the Nightmare waste no time
and their own minds in establishing themsleves as kings of the reverb'n'
Milkcow Blues crew. Entering with an angelic child's chorus, they quickly
loosen the sheep's clothing to reveal their real identity - that of battle-fatigued
weirdos a la Wild Man Fischer, patiently ploughing under cliches and new
blood into a level waste lot where anything grows.
Sex Side rips splendidly into the bowels of the Suburban Nightmare's self-avowed
autopsy of teen trauma. Bilious, bloated, and bona fide bozo, this record
poitively reeks of the sort of careful carelessness these bad acid guinea
pigs specialise in: loud, terribly distorted guitar obscured by primitve
effects, useless solos, awful vocals, and lyrical subject matter, a match
for any toilet graffiti in Transylvania. Plus a version of 'Brand New Cadillac'
that is nattily novel and a singer named Julius Seizure.
The Smiths may talk a lot about the 'human condition;' groups like this
are making it worse! Cruel to be kind?"
Forced Exposure- # 9 - Winter '86
SUBURBAN NIGHTMARE- A Hard Day's Nighmare
"....this is an enjoyably adolescent haul through non-reverential nuvo-psych
- territory.... tunes like 'You Need Love' have a fantastically diggable
guitar presence and any band who covers a Wildman Fischer tune has at least
something going for 'em..."
Sound Choice- #4, Spring 1986
"A funny and inventive EP of '60's based rock and roll filled with
tight rave-ups, driving bass, cheesy organ, and psychedelic guitar. Add
to that some between-song tapes of kids' songs, doggerel about punks, and
an a cappella take-off of Kansas. Throw in well-chosen echo, roller coaster
recording levels, and side comments on the lyrics (all about teen concerns
like sex, drugs, pimples, and parties). Their smart (and smart-assed) rebellious
attitude is hilarious in spots, and of course, always welcome. This is clever,
funny, and rocking, but the liner notes are so sexist, it's really hard
to recommend these guys." - John Grooms
Hartbeat-(German Magazine) April 1986
"'At last a record teenagers the world over can identify with! The
lyrics (as well as the rock and roll) deal with actual teen problems (from
the boys' point of view!). Self identity, mom'n'dad, dick size, school,
fags, girls, VD, pimples, etc. You name it - it's here: uninhibited, UNCENSORED!'
Additionally, it's a blasting power trip, the finest collage of 60s psychedelic
punk sounds I've heard so far: the Shadows of Knight, the Seeds, the Trashmen,
the Chocolate Watchband, the Electric Prunes, the Hysterics, We The People,
etc. You name them - they're here!
Suburban Nightmare is tough, rough, and ripping: 80s sounds for the capitol
city rocket! Additionally they're a lot of fun too. One of my favourite
Lps ever. Never stale, never boring, which, of course, means full of surprises.
Over the top and down to earth at the same time. Great plus!" ....Hans
Jurgen Klitsch