MAGAZINE

Rip It Up, Issue 48, 1 July 1981, Page 5

MAGAZINE

Francis Stark

magic, murder and the weather the new album

marketed by po box 3825, auckland 1. new Zealand.

The Swingers It Ain't What You Dance (Ripper) This one has to be top of the list, if only because it is going to be top of the pops for the forseeable future. Phil Judd takes another giant step into psychedelia with a song that probably has less substance than 'Counting the Beat', but which still bristles with hooks. Back in the days when Judd was Split Enz, they made the mistake of hanging around the Antipodes until their moment had passed let's hope he doesn't make the same mistake twice. The Techtones State of Mind (CBS) ' The Techtones are a bit confusing. After last year's sprightly 'That Girl', and pronouncements about pure pop, they sure didn't seem to be heading for a record like this. It's an interesting hybrid with some Pettyesque guitar and a great, world-weary, almost British, vocal from Jimmy Juricevich. The words don't

bear too close a listen, though. 'Same Old Game' on the other half seems to be on the same subject whatever it is but takes it at a brisk clip. The Newtones Paint the Town Red (Newtones) You all remember the Newtones from Class of 81. 'New Way' was the longest track on the album, a very linear song featuring an awful lot of guitar flanging. The news with this self-distributed single is that Tony Peake has turned down the Hanger. 'Paint the Town', and 'Christchurch Part 2' are both overlong, and based on a single repetitive chord sequence. 'China' seems like a

backwards look at the band's 77 roots, but the instrumental 'Santa Anna' shows real promise, with a rhythmic drive and edgy funk that shows someone in there knows where the 80s are going. Greg Clark The Green Room (CBS) This record is silly. I can't decide whether I hold that against it or not. Playthings Coloured/Sit Down (Playthings) A democratic DIY record with no apparent A-Side. 'Coloured' stomps, while 'Sit Down' chugs. 'Coloured' is longer than 'Sit Down'. Only

the drummer really shows a determination to move out of the seventies' mood, and even then, only on 'Coloured'. Toy Love showed the way out of this particular blind alley two years ago. Steroids Credit Card (Bunk) This record could surprise a lot of Aucklanders. I presume Wellingtonians already know that the Steroids are more than ramalamadolequeue, but it isn't that widely realised up north. 'Credit Card' is intriguing, with a nimble bass, snappy drumming and intelligent (read sparing) use of punky fuzz guitar. The vocal performance is a little short of that standard, but.the words have flashes of all-too-painful truth. Buy this one. Blind Date Apache/Don't Let It Get To You (WEA) Another guitar instrumental, and not a lot more I can say about Side One of this DoubleA ; sided single; You either like the Shadows or you don't. The other side of this one, though, is a song with words. 'Don't Let It Get To You' is solid with a catchy chorus, and features a vocal which is a definite step up from Mike Caen's previous recording. The words, thougn, are better not listened to. The Red Just Starting Over (Bunk) ■ Another rich, lower-register vocal performance '. in the current British fashion. . The Red show some affinity with: ska, .and a - nifty bass-player. Once again, though,'Just Starting Over' seems too long. The flip, 'A . Bunch of Fives' , is shorter, and could be said to boogie. This record has a guitar solo on each side. ' ; Ray Columbus and the Invaders Till We Kissed (Epic) Anyone who thinks of Ray Columbus as a lightweight country singer, on the strength of his TV appearances of the last few years, should get . a load of this. Somehow, with a . minimum of studio equipment, Columbus com?!' on like Scott Walker at the beginning’ before letting loose over a deranged string section, on the choruses. The flip has a curious instrumental and a live version of 'lf I Fell' with great harmony singing by two of the Invaders.

Neons Time Of The Season (Reaction) No prizes for guessing who this is, but I'm not going to tell you. A very recently-deceased Auckland band makes a parting shot at fame under thin disguise and hints at the reasons for their demise. While they do an interesting job on the old Zombies gem, 'Time Of The Season' on the A Side, the two originals on the B Side don't really match up. Wait and see for radio success for 'Season', and hope for their sake Carlos Santana doesn't get to it.

Larry and the Ladders Looking For An Answer(Ripper) The Ladders have a profile so low it's almost horizontal. Apart from an abysmal video on Kulcha, I've never seen them, but that glimpse and this record suggest a slight identity crisis. Larry (if it is him) has a good R'n'B-ish voice, and the tune is certainly hummable, but the whole enterprise seems a bit lacking in direction. Then again, it could all be part of Ripper's master plan something else I've never seen.