by CHRIS BARRY

While it’s tempting to write off Montreal musical mavericks Launie Anderssohn as nothing more than a surly posse of too-smart-for-their-own-good offensive brats, which they may very well be, a cursory listen to their third and latest record, The Big Awesome Vietnam Party, reveals an underlying musicality one just doesn’t expect from a band whose biggest hit to date is a song called “I’m Retarded For You, Baby.” The Mirror recently sat down with the four Anderssohn boys to try and demystify the LA enigma. This is as close as we came.

Mirror: So, um, outside of it being the title of your new CD, what is a big awesome Vietnam party, exactly?

Negro Jamaica: The Big Awesome Vietnam Party is like Vietnam without all the controversy. Closer to Good Morning Vietnam than Full Metal Jacket. More good times and less death and trauma.

Pablo Knox: It’s a giant costume party with a big awesome Vietnam theme. Camouflage, volcanoes, palm trees, loose women, free noodles, thrills. Oh, and it’s also our album launch. We’re encouraging people to dress up in their finest war clothes.

M: Are there any consistent lyrical—or for that matter, musical—themes popping up on this record?

Chubby Seconds: There are a lot of songs about love. All different kinds of love.

Gunter LeCourvoiser: Like falling in love with a leper. People don’t really understand the complications that arise. The sacrifices that must be made to make the whole thing work. Your penis can fall off.

PK: There are a lot of songs about boners. I wouldn’t say it’s a theme though, it’s more of an instinct.

NJ: Most of the album comes from real-life experience.

GL: Like when I was in third grade, this kid’s toenail fell off, and he traded it to another kid for a Transformer. These are things that are important to us.

CS: Or having to pee when you have an erection. That’s an emotionally draining experience.

PK: Especially if you have a small penis. Then, not only can you not pee, but you have to look at how small your penis is all the time. This album is also a lot about compounded hurt.

M: Speaking of boners, I’ve heard rumours you guys have developed a fairly substantial gay audience over the years. Given that most of you appear, at least, to be straight, wassup with that?

NJ: It all started with this gay band from New York, the Isotoners. They celebrate the same things Launie Anderssohn does, but in the gay way.

GL: They love our music and the spirit of the band but they also saw us as a sexual challenge. We’re sexy guys, not afraid to explore our inner gayness. And these guys wanted to explore our inner gayness too, but in a different way. We had to draw the line somewhere, and they grew to respect us even more. I guess they told all their friends about us and now gay people all over New York love us.

CS: Regardless of our reluctance to be willfully sodomized.

M: What’s on the horizon for Launie Anderssohn?

PK: Our horizons are broader than the sins of the white man. We’re putting a lot of energy into making a movie about the story of Launie Anderssohn. It’s a clever mix of fact and fiction, mostly because we can’t tell the difference. If you like food and you like babies then you’re gonna love this movie. It’s that universal.

CD launch at Divan Orange on Thursday, Nov. 10, 9:30 p.m., $5

>> Music Listings