Overlooked #1

fig. 15
Boston's Human Sexual Response was pegged as the New Wave era's next big thing, but they fell quite short of that, creating only two albums over a four-year existence. But the group was damn good and I think it should be indie-geeks' next big thing to look back on. People said the Strokes were like the Cars and it seems like every other "the" band drew influences from New Wave gods like Joy Division, Echo and the Bunnymen, and the Cure. They were equal parts Art-Rock (like the Talking Heads) and ballad-based New Wave pop, with some of the most striking and bizarre lyrics ever to be penned by a band that was supposed to become "big" (just listen to "What Does Sex Mean To Me" for a good example of what I mean lyrics-wise).
Their fierce instrumentation and tightly harmonized vocals blended into some of the most unique pop I've ever heard. They were, at times, noisey and distorded before Mission of Burma, My Bloody Valentine, or Sonic Youth hit the scene, yet were a classic Boston-based post punk band that obviously dug Blondie.
Today, with people digging deeper and deeper into the music of the late 70s and early 80s, I can't see why HSR shouldn't be an excellent name to drop in a conversation to gain indie-cred (or something). So this is a suggestion for all of you readers out there ... next time you go to a concert, tell people about HSR. Maybe the next uber-hip, thinking man's band will draw from the Boston classic!