I’m Going To Smack Your Face

Rip It Up, Issue 4, 1 September 1977, Page 10

I’m Going To Smack Your Face

Mike Chunn.

IV Rattus Norvegians The Stranglers United Artists When you put a record on and the first words you hear are: "Sometimes I want to smack your face" it is obvious something is up. After years of success and, lately, a lot of wind, the “pace and love" that made so many florists rich, is retreating down the most worn paths of contemporary music . . . people are losing interest; simple as that. Frankly, I'm surprised that a group like the Stranglers hasn’t evolved out of the NZ community. Every Saturday, on every football field and in every hotel (I don't know about the race-tracks) someone wants to smack someone’s face so why is 80% of NZ music so nice ? I guess it’s because the NZ circuit is one of those “once you're in you can’t get out" affairs and complacency is rife. With complacency comes boredom and that's that. The groups become boring and you can’t escape them. The Stranglers played the London pubs for many, many moons and it shows. They remind me of Television though more amusing, lyrically stronger and musically

more interesting (in other words, better). The keyboard player and bassist have very distinctive styles (and sounds) being most noticeable on “Grip” their current single, and “Peaches”, a great song about going down to the beach to check out the tits. Looks like I'm stuck here all summer What a bummer Still I could think of a lot worse places to be . . . like down in the sewer .. . Dare I say it, the album is very male orientated and that is half the attraction. Apart from the gaudy packaging with terrible photographs, the album is very good. If I were a judge on New Faces, I would give it a B plus but then I’m not likely to go bankrupt soon. The playing is very strong and Hugh Cornwall’s vocals (really the focal point of the album) put across the crazy lyrics particularly well. And guess what? You can hear the words. ... I admit I even stole But the worst crime that I ever did was play some rock 'n roll But the money’s no good . . . He's so right.