Shake Summation

Rip It Up, Issue 88, 1 November 1984, Page 6

Shake Summation

Russell Brown

The Chills Doiedrums (Flying Nun) Mmmm ... a nice miserable song for Christmas. Martin Phillipps laments the creepin’ cancer of unwagedness, staying in bed way too late, ’’Counting down the lonely hours / Drinking lots and taking showers’! A considerably more sophisticated arrangement than previous Chills records, probably pointing the way for future recordings, and possessed of the same unforced creativity. If it’s not quite the song that the two previous singles were, it’s got a

helluva lot to live up to. I still defy you not to involuntarily sing it to yourself after three listens ... Martin Kean’s ‘Hidden Bay’ is very short and very sharp. I don’t know what it's about but it’s great. Netherworld Dancing Toys The Real You (Virgin) Although this song is a standout live it obviously had to be rearranged for recording and, with the aid of Don McGlashan the Netherworlds have come up with their most sophisticated record to date. But the song’s altered balance and mock-reggae feel do take away some of the song’s tautness and impact. Still beautifully sung by Malcolm Black, even if he is only allowed to let rip for a very short time. ’Standing In the Rain’ captures the band's live appeal but I think Nick Sampson has better songs ('This Town’ for example) unrecorded. ’New Zealand Love Song’ is just Malcolm and guitar and although some might find it jut a bit too guileless, there’s no denying its loveliness. Katango, Pick It Up (Zulu) Katango would like to be on the cover of Smash Hits and that’s kind of a nice ambition in a way. They're certainly not going to do it with silly adolescent dross like the initial A-Side, ‘Pop Boys! But ‘Pick It Up’ is something different altogether. Well executed, with just the right sprinkling of pretension, it actually communicates something youthful in its grooves and that's important, no? The Expendables The Flower (Flying Nun) Quite a change for the Expendables, ’The Flower' is a moody, beautiful balanced song. Michael Kime’s bass define’s the song's colour and takes it through its length, Jay Clarkson’s guitar twinkles in and out and in the middle Robert Keys’ drumming is all economy. Jay’s singing sounds better than it ever has, now that she’s relaxed it. ‘Man With No Desire’ is similar but cant quite manage the same grace. A wonderful single. The Narcs Lazy Susan (CBS) The Narcs have long been very good at being the Narcs certainly better than all the bands around the country who would like to be the Narcs. This is typical Narcs metal pop low on redeeming artistic merit but high on eagerness to entertain. “Catchy”

would be the word. The Rip Timeless Peace (Flying Nun) The Rip had to hang around for a long time without the opportunity to record properly and in some ways this is a typical first record. There's a kind of bluntness which crops up here and there and which I think the band will deal with on their next record. Meantime, the four songs here are good and in ‘The Holy Room’ there are elements of something really excellent that hasn’t quite been worked out yet. I’ve heard this record being criticised for being 'too typically Dunedin” but the Rip have as much right to play their own way as anybody else. I look forward to seeing them live soon. Working With Walt The Prophet (Jayrem) I’m still having trouble making up my mind about this one. ’The Prophet’ is Rob Hellriegel’s personal perspective on Maori leader Rua Kenena and I think it has the potential to be stirring but there’s something sluggish about it here, perhaps the rather standard rock arrangement and production (enlivened, admittedly, by the brightest acoustic guitar)! I do suspect that Working With Walt will meet with success. Economic Wizards Starve the Lizards (Eelman) Four tracks, of which only ’Pakuranga Girl’ is really good. That's a sweet, tongue in cheek ballad addressed to Lorraine Downes and beautifully sung by Jim Steel. The others are pretty much unexceptional R&B, although ‘lf Anyone Can, The Vatican Can’ has a devilishly clever lyric. Andrew ‘Clyde’ Clouston The Bag (A Funky Barp) (Eelman) ‘The Bag’ is an immaculately executed soul instrumental that’s fairly enjoyable but comes across a little like an exercise in style. Clouston’s sax is more upfront in Alain Toussaint’s ‘Freedom’ (which is one of those tunes which really does communicate its title) and ‘That's What I Like! Great Eelart cover and I assume Andrew and friends had a lotta fun doing it all. The Jumblies

Stuff Of Dreams (Flying Nun) The Jumblies are in fact eccentric bass player Peter Arnold, who did it all here, with the help of Clare Timings on rhythm guitar and (very good) backing

vocals. Let me say here it’s let down by a wretched mix which throws the cheap drum machine into the foreground and which must be forgiven. ‘Stuff Of Dreams’ is a personal declaration of independence, delivered with twisted, slightly familiar phrasing. The re-arrangement of Tears Of a Clown’ displays real insight someone could actually make this version a big hit Trouble Sleeping' is an old My Three Sons song, I think, wherein lies lots of funky bass, a clever, wordy lyric, a chorus that reminds me of the Axemen for some reason and the best production. Patsy Riggir Laying It On the Line (CBS) Perennial Patsy, who really does sing this MOR ballad to perfection. I assume it will be a favourite on the Tonight Show.