“I Don’t Really Want to Get Involved” (1978) – The Cortinas * Written by the Cortinas * LP: True Romances * Produced by Martin Birch * Label: CBS
The Cortinas’ only album had a few things going against it: a shadowed cover image, a pre-release band breakup, and a promotional approach summed up by one of their song titles, “I Don’t Really Want to Get Involved.” What the album did have going for it was a chiseled guitar pop sound with durable hooks and cheeky teen angst lyrics. All five Cortinas, who hailed from Bristol, England, would likely express surprise at secret followings their album attracted via cutout bins in American suburbs. None of True Romances‘ stateside buyers, it’s safe to say, had an inkling of the harder-edged punk credibility the band had established for itself as 16 year olds in 1977 with the singles “Fascist Dictator” and “Defiant Pose.” No, American fans of this album would like it for what it was.