'Smart Accessories' is the second album from Seattle's Cute Lepers who, as I'm sure you know, are a six/sometimes seven-piece band from Seattle, WA equally influenced by first wave punk, mod-revival, power pop, with the spirit of Johnny Thunders... together with occasional hints of doo-wop, early 60's rock 'n' roll and a load of female back-up vocals. Led by chief songwriter Steve E. Kix & Kicks (yes that's Steve E. Nix & Kicks from seminal Seattle band The Briefs!). After several sold out singles and lengthy tours of the United States and Europe, summer 2008 their debut album "Can't Stand Modern Music" was released on Damaged Goods in Europe and Blackheart Records (yeah... the label Joan Jett started up a few decades ago!), it combined the attitude of punk rock, the style of mod, and the polished sound of pop. The album went on to win the best punk album category in the 8th Annual Independent Music Awards. Now their back with their second album 'Smart Accessories' follows much the same path, 13 new tracks including the recent single 'Berlin Girls' along with 12 other future punk-pop classics.
Steve E. Nix and The Cute Lepers (commonly known as The Cute Lepers) are a power pop infused punk rock band from Seattle, Washington, started by Steve E. Nix of The Briefs. The band was formed in 2007 during the current Briefs hiatus.
The Cute Lepers have released a 7" single on 1-2-3-4 Go! Records and another on Drunk'n'Roll / No Front Teeth Records.
The band released a full length LP in February 2008 on 1-2-3-4 Go!. The Cute Lepers signed to Joan Jett's Blackheart Records (United States) and Damaged Goods (UK and Europe) in 2008. The Cute Lepers regularly play throughout the Pacific Northwest, United States, and Europe.
In early 2009, The Cute Lepers' Modern Music won in The 8th Annual Independent Music Awards for Best Punk Album.
Early on March 28, 2009 tragedy struck when their guitarist, Travis Criscola, overdosed while on tour in Cincinnati. The autopsy results show an overdose of methadone. The drug was obtained from another band on the tour and another member of that same band also overdosed that morning, but survived.
The Cute Lepers released their second full length record "Smart Accessories" in December 2009 on 1-2-3-4 Go! Records in the United States and Damaged Goods Records in Europe.