KAREN LAWRENCE & THE PINZ - Girl's Night Out

While new wave sirens such as Josie Cotton and Holly Beth Vincent produced records in the early 80s that have since developed a cult status among the genre's fans, Karen Lawrence's lone new wave LP, Girl's Night Out, remains criminally under the radar.

Maybe this is because the bulk of Lawrence's work, including time as vocalist for both Blue By Nature and 1994, features a bluesier, more straightforward rock sound. Or maybe it's because it has never been reissued. In any case, 1981's Girl's Night Out is a thoroughly enjoyable homage to 60s pop, highlighted by Lawrence's consistently impressive vocals.

Like Josie Cotton on her classic Convertible Music LP, Lawrence delivers Girl's Night Out with a knowing, tongue-in-cheek nod to classic girl groups such as The Shangri-Las and The Ronettes. Even the artwork oozes retro style, with its bright pink sleeve and black and white photo of Lawrence decked out in a prom dress.

Musically, much of Girl's Night Out comes in twos. There is a pair of irresistible, punky power pop numbers in Blondes and Hold Me Closer - my personal favorites. Then there's a couple of top-notch sugary ballads, Rebel and So Tough, which best bring out the tough-but-tender, Mary Weiss vibe in Lawrence. Not to mention I Won't Stop and March of the Pins, which bring to the table a more synth-heavy, quirky 80s style of fun.

Throughout the album, the star of the show is Lawrence's big voice, which ranges from a raspy pur to a bluesy wail to a giddy squeak all in the course of a single song. She really digs into the material and makes every single cut convincing.

Unfortunately, I hear the masters of this album were destroyed before Lawrence could acquire them from RCA. The good news is that you can check out my vinyl rip of Girl's Night Out here:

Karen Lawrence and the Pinz - Girl's Night Out (1981)

Track listing:
1 - Girl's Night Out
2 - Blondes
3 - I Won't Stop
4 - Rebel
5 - Sealed With a Kiss
6 - March of the Pins
7 - Fix It
8 - Hold Me Closer
9 - So Tough
10 - Modern Times

FOR FANS OF:
The Motels, Holly & the Italians, Josie Cotton, The Crocodiles, The Dugites, Pat Benatar, The Pretenders

WEB LINKS:
- Karen Lawrence on MySpace
- Karen Lawrence on Wikipedia