RECORDS

Rip It Up, Issue 50, 1 September 1981, Page 20

RECORDS

Duncan Campbell

The Reels Quasimodo's Dream Pol yd or Jimmy and the Boys Products of Your Mind Sturm The Dugites West of the World Deluxe Products of Your Mind is the rockiest of this Australian threesome. The 1979 EP features that unabashed "get a grip on yourself" humour. Someone called Joylene Hairmouth, who's real name is Bill plays keyboards, and a doublejointed, classical ballet trained Ignatious Jones is the singer. Four good, strong tracks. The Reels' Quasimodo's ' Dream includes the number 'According to My Heart', and we told on the inner sleeve the band was forced into it by the record company. This track will . certainly boost . album sales, and who knows mum might even pay for it. Best tracks are the short, succinct Rupert Murdoch', and 'Ohira Tour'. 'Quasimodo's Dream', and 'Kitchen Man' don't get the depth of treatment they warrant, and 'Dubbo', plus the 'Cancer' song are downright dreary. This is . the Dugites second album. It’s a mild-mannered, modern collection. Keyboardist Peter Crosbie writes all the songs. Lynda Nutter sings them with a Blondiesque touch, and Gunter Berghofer adds some sparky guitar. . Ann Louise Martin Basement 5 1965-1980 Island Basement 5 are British, and have been in action a couple of

years, going through two changes of lead singer before finding their ideal man in ace music photographer Dennis Morris, who had never sung or written songs before. On joining Basement 5, he promptly sat down and wrote all the songs for this, their first album. Morris is scathing of British reggae, saying it's only copying Jamaica and going nowhere. Basement 5 play not only reggae, but a funked-up, semipunk rock. Three of the four members, Morris included, are Jamaican-born and Britishraised. The whitey of the group is ex-PiL drummer Richard Dudanski. The sound closely-resembles PiL's approach in parts, with frantic vocal chants over a solid dancing bass line and scratchy guitar. In other places, Morris uses the toaster style of’ vocal over beats that are very European. 'Silicon Chip', for instance, sounds like Kraftwerk on amphetamines. This album has turned a lot of my old conceptions of new wave and reggae upside down, which is just what it aims to do. Basement 5 have neatly avoided the stereotypes that pervade black and white music in Britain, and have produced something truly inter-racial. Basement 5 are dancing to . a new tune, and I'm impressed. Duncan Campbell Miles Davis The Man With The Horn Directions CBS Long-established jazz men often claim, albeit arrogantly, that everyone else has ripped them off, stolen their licks. Miles Davis can claim this with more justification than most. I doubt that there's a more influential, or more imitated, musician alive today. Miles made waves and was a pioneer in the hard bop and

cool jazz eras of the 19505. In the following two decades he gave the free jazz stylists a steer, and just about invented the term 'fusion'. Since 1975, Miles has been a recluse, amid rumours that he was gravely, if not terminally ill. All untrue, and The 'Man With The Horn is proof. Miles was just biding his time, pondering and Jplanning. Now he's back, and as always, full of surprises. 1 After the esoteric directions of the early 70's, which confused even "the diehard fans, Miles Davis has produced one of his most accessible works. The Man bases itself largely on hard, . urban funk, and leans strongly towards Weather Report, especially in the bass playing of Marcus Miller, an obvious Pastorius disciple. Miles has gathered a very young crew for this outing, with his nephew, Vincent Wilburn, drumming on two tracks. Also present on skins is A 1 Foster, who made an impact on the Milestone Jazz Stars concert. Randy Hall had a hand in writing two tracks, including the title, which he also sings. Very smooth and 'soulful, - and rather chartworthy; Miles Davis in the top 40? Stranger things have happened. Sample the man's playing after six years of silence. He shrieks and growls, twists and turns, soothes and caresses, as great as ever. On 'Aida', Miles is positively delighted, so you can almost see him smiling. Top marks too for saxist Bill Evans, who owes a wee debt to Trane, but at least; knows the best people to emulate. The Man With The Horn is a very welcome return by a true living legend. Directions is a collection of previously unreleased tracks, spanning 10 years, from the time of Sketches Of Spain, up to and just beyond Bitches Brew. Personnel include Gil Evans, Wayne Shorter, Joe Zawinul, John McLaughlin, Herbie Hancock and Keith Jarrett, to name but a few. CBS have imported a very limited number of copies, and if you look sharp, you might just find one left. If you're lucky.