Why do I dig the new Robots in Disguise record? Let’s see . . . They’re an electro punk duo. That’s not it; I pretty much dislike that genre. Their stuff is pretty frenetic and silly. Also not generally my style. And yet . . . I really dig it.

We’re In The Music Biz” is the third ridiculous record
by Dee Plume and Sue Denim, a pair better known for their stage presence (Sue Denim wears a unicorn horn) than their tunes. Track by track, this album is generally derivative. “I Don’t Have a God” is a silly nihilistic rant. “We’re in the Music Biz” is, as you might expect from the title, an ode to making records. “Can’t Stop Getting Wasted” is about getting wasted. And “The Sex Has Made Me Stupid” is about . . . Well, you get the idea. And yet many of the songs here are fun and bouncy, and they have a sense of pure honesty to them. There’s no affect here. It’s as if Elastica made records out of playground taunts, and then were covered by Le Tigre. If constant shouting, high energy, and sexless sexiness turn you on, this is for you.

And the lyrics may not be as infantile as they appear. In “I don’t have a God,” they holler: “It’s a messed-up world and I’ve got cravings!” And, from “Everybody’s Going Crazy,” the line “shake your hands, get ready for the crazy dance!” pays tribute to my guiltiest pleasure of all: Men Without Hats. And the music can sometimes show surprising ingenuity. In “Don’t Copy Me,” there’s a drum solo that sounds exactly one I heard from Animal on the Muppet Show, but the minimalist guitarwork is surprising, along with the tone changes and the sudden end of the tune. A keeper, for sure.

We’re In the Music Biz