Austin Lounge Lizards Albums (9)
'Strange Noises in the Dark'
Release Date 10/21/2003
Tracks 14
Label Blue Corn Music
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What The Critics Say
The Austin Lounge Lizards have their shtick, and what they do, they do very well. Literate, funny country songs that tread a line between country and bluegrass, well played, and tightly written. There's plenty of social commentary, such as "You Can Eat Dog Food," about the plight of the elderly, and "Jesse + Phil," where Jesse Helms and Phil Gramm come out as a gay couple. But there are also some just-plain-funny songs, like the couple-drinking-and-fighting parody of "We Always Fight When We Drink Gin," where guest singer Kelly Willis does a near-perfect Loretta Lynn. Some are plain daft, such as "The Lonely Yodeler," while the a cappella "Why Couldn't We Blow Up Saddam?" is a unalloyed joy. "When I'm Cleanin' Windows," an old George Formby music hall song, gets revived as down-home bluegrass -- but with an English accent. Whatever way you look at it (even if you include the ridiculous "Banana Slugs!"), the Austin Lounge Lizards bring a smile. ~ Chris Nickson, All Music Guide
'Never an Adult Moment'
Release Date 8/29/2000
Tracks 14
Label Sugar Hill
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What The Critics Say
One of the more enjoyably bent elements of country music, the Lizards have a habit of being a bit too scattershot for their own good. This set is, therefore, pretty much typical for them, despite the inclusion of "Hillbillies in a Haunted House," with a way too late parody in "Grunge Song," a thematic repeat in "Forty Years Old and I'm Livin' in My Mom's Garage" (which is little more than a continuation of "Wrong End of the Gene Pool"), and so on. However, not all is lost: "Rasputin's HMO" is priceless, "Big Rio Grande River" is a gem of a parody of Tex-Mex and Marty Robbins, and "The Illusion Travels By Stock Car," which mixes Richard Petty with Luis Bunuel, qualifies for the most surreal country song ever recorded. Cumulatively, this is not the best Austin Lounge Lizards effort, but it has more than its share of good moments. ~ Steven McDonald, All Music Guide
'Employee of the Month'
Release Date 2/17/1998
Tracks 13
Label Sugar Hill
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What The Critics Say
The Austin Lounge Lizards are light, they're fluffy, and they're funny as all get out. Whether it's a lampoon of Very Big Texan Things in "Stupid Texas Song," a parody of Leonard Cohen in "Leonard Cohen's Day Job" (which gets funnier the more you listen to it) or acknowledging the family of the '90s ("Hey, Little Minivan"), they're sharp and smart. The satire isn't quite as biting as on Small Minds, their 1995 release, but they sure are funny. ~ Steven McDonald, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
There's nothing more demented than a country band with a sense of humor, unless it's a country band with a sense of humor and a sense of irony. The Austin Lounge Lizards have humor, irony and satire going for them, a pretty deadly combination altogether. Targets on Small Minds range from Newt Gingrich (in the acidic "Gingrich the Newt," which has this Newt giving the humble newt species a bad name) to the intelligentsia of the art world. For all the bent edges, Small Minds is a finely played and sung album that's a pleasure to listen to and gets a definite recommendation. ~ Steven McDonald, All Music Guide
'Paint Me on Velvet'
Release Date 9/1/1993
Tracks 11
Label Flying Fish
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What The Critics Say
Since their formation in 1980, the Austin Lounge Lizards have entertained themselves and a lot of other people with their brand of music, which they call "satirical bluegrass." Actually, the listener can also hear strains of rock, soul, blues, and gospel in the music. The band is composed of Conrad Deisler on acoustic lead guitar, Hank Card on acoustic guitar, Tom Pittman on banjo and pedal steel guitar, Boo Resnick on bass, and Eamon McGloughlin on mandolin and fiddle. The fact that they are master musicians is often lost in the hilarity of their lyrics. Best known for their song "Jesus Loves Me (But He Can't Stand You)," the Austin Lounge Lizards poke fun at everything and everybody in modern American culture. Their humorous take on such an easy target has spawned an enthusiastic following of fans known as Lizard Heads. Paint Me on Velvet follows the Lizards' formula for success: great music and funny lyrics. There are rollicking banjos and hot fiddles and beautiful harmonies. It seems so comfortably bluegrass until your ears tune into the words. The CD's title track, "Paint Me on Velvet," is a case in point, as the Lizards make fun of the tacky, while at the same time parodying the icons and styles of the genre. No idol is too big to fall before the barbs of group's sharp pens and tongues: This song finds Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson on the hot seats. The title of "Put the Oak Ridge Boys in the Slammer" speaks for itself. "1984 Blues" shows just how good these musicians really are. Enigmatically, they then go off on a version of that long-forgotten song from the crypt, "The Purple People Eater." But then this group of former lawyers, doctors, and other ne're-do-wells is nothing if not enigmatic. Other standouts on the CD include "Going to Hell in Your Heavenly Arms," "Boudreaux Was a Nutcase," and "That Godforsaken Hellhole I Call Home." Having the musical knowledge to appreciate the group's inside jokes and puns increases the fun, but the music stands on its own, guaranteeing all listeners a good laugh along with an enjoyable musical experience. ~ Rose of Sharon Witmer, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Combine country and bluegrass melodies with the type of irreverent, authority-questioning lyrics you'd expect from a rock & roll or folk act, and you've got the Austin Lounge Lizards, whose sense of humor is impossible to miss on Lizard Vision. Recorded live at the Waterloo Ice House in Austin, TX, in January 1990, this CD illustrates the Lizards' vitality and makes it clear they're far from typical of country and bluegrass acts. The band might sound a bit like the Statler Brothers at times, but lyrically, they're in a class by themselves. "Dan Stepford" has a good laugh at the expense of Dan Quayle (who was the U.S. vice president when this CD was recorded), while the doo-wop-influenced "Jesus Loves Me (But He Can't Stand You)" takes aim at the hypocrisy of religious fanatics. Not all of the songs have sociopolitical references; on "He's Just a Friend" and Roger Waters' "Brain Damage," for example, the Lizards simply enjoy some healthy, good-natured goofiness for the sake of goofiness. Arguably, Lizard Vision is the band's most essential release. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
'The Highway Cafe of the Damned'
Release Date 9/28/1987
Tracks 12
Label Sugar Hill
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What The Critics Say
The Lizards second release captures both the time of its creation -- the late Reagan years, underscored by a perverse ballad about the man himself -- and the group's own wonderfully offbeat and definitely left-leaning vision of the universe. The opening, three-minute title track showcases the band's balanced strengths. On the one hand, they simply cook in ways that Bill Monroe would be proud of: straight-up bluegrass without gimmicks, with main singer Card possessed of a voice easily and simply described as "mighty fine." On the other hand, the tale of a purgatorial greasy-spoon, where the protagonist demands both coffee and Kafka from the demonic waitress while "the radio is playing Barry Manilow incessantly" sparkles with a rapid-fire wit that most bands could barely dream of. From there on, it's a romp through a dozen slices of Americana seen with some highly warped visions -- thus the regretful musing of the gay émigré from Nebraska stuck in San Francisco in "Cornhusker Refugee" or the reverse generation-gap knee-slapper "Get a Haircut, Dad." The Lizards' grasp of musical styles is both playful and skillful. As a band, they're able to take in everything from Bob Wills-style western swing to straight country, and other lead singers Williams and Deisler work the mike just as well as Card. From start to finish, a perfect delight. ~ Ned Raggett, All Music Guide
'Creatures from the Black Saloon'
Release Date 1/1/1984
Tracks 14
Label Watermelon
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What The Critics Say
Imagine tradition-steeped Texas swing fused to Monty Python, and you have an idea what's in store with the Austin Lounge Lizards. The Lizards can serve up the tastiest country licks imaginable while at the same time trashing every old West cliche/tradition in the book. The group's debut Creatures from the Black Lagoon revealed such classics as "The Car Hank Died In," "Kool Whip" (Devo meets The Bonzo Dog Band), and "Saguaro" (wailing pedal steel and mock heroic baritone rendering the tale of a twerpy urban cowpoke duelling a gang of desperado cacti - and losing). ~ Roch Parisien, All Music Guide
