BRIEFS

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

BRIEFS

Creedence Clearwater Revival The Concert (Fantasy) Probably the most underrated band of the 19605. - It is somehow typical 1 that this excellent live album by - John Fogerty and his men should have originally been labelled an Albert Hall concert. In fact it was recorded in unfashionable Oakland, and the band plays with the sort of enthusiastic honesty that marked • their studio work. In these troubled times, 'Bad Moon Rising' sounds increasingly like a theme song for the 1980 s. PG Dave Edmunds Twangin' (Swansong) From the opening bars of 'Something Happens' you just know that this is classic Edmunds, right down to the close of 'Baby, .Let's. Play House', recorded in 1968, hardly a boom year for Rockabilly, yet head and shoulders above most of the genre in 1981, which is something of. a boom year. Stand-out tracks? Well, Ireckon they're all stand-outs, but in particular there's the Stray Cats-backed 'The Race Is On', 'Baby, Let's Play House', and John Fogerty's 'Almost Saturday Night'. ' D.McL Tenpole Tudor Eddie, Old Bob, Dick and Gary (Stiff) More Stiff crazies still flushed from their British chart success with 'Swords Of. A Thousand Men', a piece of pure medieval hokum that used Adam Antics to best advantage. But from their appearance on the Great Rock’n'Roll Swindle to this, their first album, is no great leap. Tenpole make anonymous, trim and disposable pop. Their image can't save them. Costumes without the drama anyone? GK Dum Dum Boys Let There Be Noise (Bondage) These guys must have been on . ice for at least four years. Paunchy vocalist Tony Stooge leads these belated Auckland punks through head-banging machinations that would have guaranteed record contracts and public adulation years' ago. But now they seem pointless. Dear, : where are my -safety, pins? GK Chaka Khan ' ’ " - Whatcha Gonna Do About It (WB) Interestingly, the best track on Chaka Khan's third solo album is also the most adventurous. It's an up-dated vocal version of Dizzy Gillespie's bebop tune , 'A ; Night -.;ln Tunisia'. Supported by contributions by Herbie Hancock, Charlie Parker and Dizzy, Chaka soars. For the rest, it's accomplished but somewhat characterless funk. There's some dynamite playing here but Chaka- fails to stamp her identity on the proceedings. AD Aspic, Absconded Damply Aspic hopefully are a one-off Auckland University student conglomerate who've decided to transfer their idleness and arrogance on to record form. Sounding like ten percent of the Residents stranded in a . closet and funnelled through a paper megaphone, Aspic have no justifiable raison d'etre behind this album. Even humour can't save them. ' GK Tuxedomoon Desire (Ralph) Recorded on Ralph Records

and drum machine' in tow, Tuxedomoon can be - appetisingly mood-evoking / ('East') studiously crazy ('Victims Of The Dance') or genuinely para-noia-inducing ('Music'). Generally. things work best when they're making sounds rather.-than singing words. I think .Tuxedomoon would prefer to engage their listening audience 1 one by one in dark rooms. RC Dave McArtney & The Flamingos Remember The Alamo (Polygram) A five-tracker to coincide with the bye-bye-NZ tour, this underlines -McArtney's writing versatility and chameleon vocals both. Hooky yes, but a little too weary and grow.-on-you for pub fare. But as a record, I like it; 'Way Of The World' and the scarred Wayward Girl' especially. RC Toyah Anthem (Safari) Toyah Wilcox was first presented to us on television's Shoestring and she came across as half-new wave, half-hippy. Incongruous but. more than promising. Extended exposure on her first album suggests Kate Bush gone all heavy and inter-galactic. Mock dramatic and not nearly so promising. And lyrics? You want lyrics? How about' "the door is a whore/and it's open wide/ naked as the best/we feast inside." You want- more? Buy the album. RC

The Sports

Sondra (Mushroom) 1980's Suddenly established Australia's Sports as utterly viable contenders in the Costello-Parker strong-songs-with-roots-in-R&B stakes. This new one is every bit as instant and accessible as Suddenly, and the song is still celebrated as the most important ingredient, but the riffs aren't as punchy, the peaks not as sharp. Begins well with 'Against The Dance' and ’ How Come' but doesn't climb any higher. RC 852 s

Party Mix (WEA) Three tracks from each album remixed by a trio who seem to have the dreaded Stars On 45 handclap uppermost in their minds. Party Out Of Bounds' is even more Stars On 45 than the original and clocks in at two minutes longer, merging effortlessly with 'Private Idaho', also longer. And so on. I hope this doesn't become a trend.- Can you imagine Frampton Comes Alive with a party re-mix? Or, ahem, Trout Mask Replica? RC Wazmo Narz Things Aren't Right (IRS) Interesting song titles : here, but Wazmo's way of singing the words, sort of like gargling mercury, means that song titles are about as far in as you get. Nervous can't-sit-still . melody lines spar with a variety of keyboard noises. Out on the edge and usually average the man told you in the album title. RC The Quick . On The Up Take (Epic) Two Englishmen who met in America, The Quick are a singer and a keyboards/synth player. But like .New York's Suicide they definitely are not. They play immediate pop with a dance beat at' the bottom which radio stations frightened by Joy Division will like a lot. Likeable melodies. Three singles off this album already overseas*. “ RC

AC/DC Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (Alberts) Reissued because of their band's world-wide success, DDDDC is . classic raw-boned heavy rock at its best, featuring the rasping vocals of Bon Scott. The band thunders through nine tracks with majestic force. Classic tracks include 'Ain't No Fun', 'Problem Child', a very in-cheek 'Big Balls' and the poignant 'Ride On'. AC/DC show that what is happening everywhere else should be happening here too. GC Richard Strange The Phenomenal Rise of (Virgin) I liked about half of the stuff that Strange's old band, Doctors of Madness, used to do. On this politicised Ziggy, I like about a quarter, but concept albums are meant to be appreciated and discussed not actually enjoyed. (See midperiod Who). A little bit of appreciation, end of discussion. CK

Dr Feelgood

On the Job (Liberty)

The third live album from the Feelgoods, featuring a fair selection from Case of the Shakes, and . Gypie Mayo's last (recorded) stand. It dances, but, I must confess, it sounds a little like a cabaret show. DMcL The Angels Greatest (Alberts) You name it it's on here. 'Marseilles', 'Take A Long Ride', 'I Ain't the One', .'Shadow Boxer' and Am I Ever Going To See Your Face Again' make this a great compilation from a great band. Most of the songs were featured live on the band's recent NZ Tour. If you haven't got any Angels get this. GC Freeez Southern Freeez (WEA) The inside cover says 'new wave jazz funk', but don't let that fool you. This album, is closer to the discoid fuzak of recent Herbie Hancock except that these guys lack Hancock and co s prodigious technique. As for the 'new wave' bit; I guess .that's because they're English and want to appear relevant. Really, there are far better homegrown alternatives available; from' the poppy funk of Pacific Eardrum to the fine new jazz of Space Case. PT Stevie Nicks Bella Donna (WEA)

The gold-dust woman has obviously had more money spent on her album sleeve alone than the total budget of any half-dozen N.Z. groups combined. Her best move was getting cosy with Tom Petty, because he and the Heartbreakers contribute easily the best song and performance on this, the first solo spinoff from the big Mac. Otherwise there's only a passable couple of countrytinged numbers and a Don Henley vocal to offer distraction from Nicks' irritating warble. PT