Nurds

Featuring eight Roche originals, along with a memorable rendition of Cole Porter's classic "It's Bad For Me" and a distinctive reworking of the traditional Irish selection "Factory Girl," The Roches' 1980 release Nurds spotlights the unmatched vocal dexterity, stylistic range and richly textured arrangements of one of modern music's most eclectic and original singing ensembles.

After leaving school to pursue a career in music, Maggie and Terre Roche first sang together professionally in the mid-'60s. By 1970 they had earned a reputation as top-notch vocalists and backed Paul Simon on his acclaimed LP, There Goes Rhymin' Simon. The duo subsequently released their own album, 1975's Seductive Reasoning, and began performing in concert throughout the U.S., including a landmark appearance at the Women's Music Festival in 1976. It was shortly thereafter that sister Suzzy, who had been attending college in New York, joined the group. As a trio The Roches quickly earned a fervent following on the thriving Greenwich Village club scene, garnering critical raves for their wry lyric wordplay and numble arrangements. Signed to Warner Bors. Records in late 1978, they released their debut album, produced by renowned British conceptualist Robert Fripp, the following year.

After extensive touring, the trio returned to the studio to begin work on a follow-up LP. The result was Nurds, produced by longtime Paul Simon engineer Roy Halee and featuring a stellar cast of supporting musicians, include drummer Jay Dee Daugherty and bassist Fred Smith. Standout cuts include the Suzzy Roche-penned title track, Maggie Roche's incisive "This Feminine Position" and the Terre Roche composition "My Sick Mind."