23 The Lawrence Arms “Quincetuple Your Money”

Asian Man Records is a wonderful small label run by Mike Park in California. They specialize in punk and ska and for being a small indie label have had some remarkable bands, many which will make an appearance on this playlist. 

I first came to know about Asian Man Records from their compilation albums, Mailorder is Fun!, Mailorder is Still Fun!, and Mailorder For The Masses. The third compilation is where I found The Lawrence Arms “Quincentuple Your Money.” They sounded familiar to me, and it turns out that they shared a common sound with an early 90s punk ska band, Slapstick. Slapstick has an almost mythical quality, influence, and legacy about them reminiscent of Operation Ivy. 

“Quincentuple Your Money” has a wonderful melodic opening on the bass, before Brendan Kelly’s scruffy vocals kick in with the first verse. The lyrics are interesting and certainly paint some mental images, though I’m not sure if there is a coherent story being told. But each verse certainly captures punk themes, from anti-war to self- deprecation. In particular I enjoy the lyrics of the stop time midway through the song:

There’s a park in the city where I used to go

But now it’s covered with fences and cops and light posts

And I’d never go back if anything was the same

But it kills me to know that it’s changed