New Zealand

Rip It Up, Issue 210, 1 February 1995, Page 34

New Zealand

DAVE DOBBYN Lap Of The Gods CD Single (Sony)

A good choice for a single, but there are definitely better tunes on the album. The big hitter of a sing-along chorus makes this grunty, guitar heavy rocker instantly memorable. But exactly what Dobbyn is up to on the final track, ‘Twister’, escapes me. An inaudible conversation has been laid under a pounding drum track, before a mountain of high-pitched squeals are tossed in near the end. Fun for those who made it I guess.

TIM FINN AND THE RECORD PARTNERSHIP Runs In The Family CD Single (Sony)

Surely it hasn’t come to this? I’d like to think Tim Finn had his tongue glued to the inside of his cheek when he made this single. Sadly, I doubt it. Recorded to celebrate the centenary of New Zealand Cricket, ‘Runs In The Family’ floats along on a medium paced, pacifican-flavoured groove, and sees Tim extolling the virtues of cricket on the beach. He advises us to “celebrate the feelings we love to hate”. Basically, an ad jingle, very thinly disguised as a song. Still, I’m sure he got paid well.

3DS Caterwauling CD EP (Flying Nun)

More Mitchell guitar dementia, on ‘Big Red Heart’, kicks off the 3Ds new EP. David Saunders chimes in with the straight up and down pop of ‘Free Agent’, where the muddy

texture makes it sound like Pavement stealing from the ‘Ds. A delicacy called ‘Lightning Tree’ leads into the final track, a stop-start, chug-along riffer called ‘Cold Harbour’. Recent live shows have hinted the 3Ds are submerging their killer pop hooks with heavy riffs and manic squeals — ‘Caterwauling’ just emphasises the point. So long as they don’t get too carried away, the direction they’re travelling in sounds fine.

CREELEY Grunty Falcon Cassette EP

Christchurch's Creeley feature past members of All Fall Down and Nun bands the Letter Five and Sneaky Feelings. Their collective histories have heavily influenced the action here. There’s not much happening to suggest they’ve moved out of the mid 80s. ‘7th Day’ and ‘Round And Around’ have jangly, 80s pop riffs wrapped all over them, and only the closer, the instrumental and moody ‘Out Of Orbit’, suggests they are exploring new territory.

‘Grunty Falcon’ is available from PO Box 1619, Christchurch.

PIVOTAL Upsurper CD Single (Surgeon)

A self-released four track CD from Auckland band Pivotal. The title track shows promise cause it sounds like the Shadows on acid. ‘Selfish’ and ‘Turning Point’ veer between sickly sweet, angst-ridden pop, and repetitive droning riffs. The closer is the very Bailterspace-like ‘Numb’.

‘Upsurper’ is available from Surgeon, 148 Bassett Road, Remuera.

MARC HUNTER Get So Rough Cassingle (Roadshow)

Marc Hunter pocketed a big fat fee after he let the crowd sing Dragon’s set at Mountain Rock last year, can he do any better here? Yeah right. ‘Get So Rough’ and ‘Song Of New Devotion’ are fine examples of the exact same AOR crap Dragon have been pushing since they gave up drugs and got bloated. Although no one has the right to set an expiry date on musicians, this one should be sent to pasture or put in a home.

JOHN RUSSELL