Pansy Division – Wish I’d Taken Pictures – Review

Pansy Division

Wish I’d Taken Pictures (Lookout!)
by Lex Marburger

The flaming princes of queercore are back! Bringing you another 13 songs from the bowels (ahem) of San Francisco is Pansy Division. I probably don’t have to tell you about the lyrics for Wish I’d Taken Pictures (Lookout), but they’re too good to pass up. We’ve got the “Dick Of Death,” about a man who, “when he’s soft/he’s nearly hung down to the floor!” But don’t go too far, because he’s only “Vanilla,” so you can tie someone else to your bedpost. They sing about a cock tease in “The Summer You Let Your Hair Grow Out,” cheating in an open relationship in “Pillow Talk,” and paint a perfect picture of bars at closing time with “Sidewalk Sale” (“That guy’s really not that bad/but if it were earlier it would be kind of sad/The cream is gone, the dregs prevail/ Toughchoices at the sidewalk sale”). The surprising song (lyrically) is “The Ache.” I know, my mind was in the gutter too, but it’s about heart ache. What’s cool about Wish I’d Taken Pictures is the music. It’s progressed a lot, and they’re starting to use different chord progressions and creative drum beats, like in “Pee Shy.” They even take a swipe at the pseudo-industrial sound with “Expiration Date,” using distorted vocals and a low, throbbing beat. And his voice isn’t as annoying this time around. Jon Ginoli has either taken some singing lessons, or has been smoking a lot. I love this music, and I’m not ashamed to get into it. If all pop punk was like this, I’d be the first in line to buy tickets for Lollapalooza (or whatever the damn thing is called nowadays). They’re here, they’re queer, they rock. Get used to it.