Love Toy Love

Press, 28 August 1980, Page 14

Love Toy Love

TOY LOVE “Toy Love” (Deluxe Z 20008) Way behind the rest of 'the field, I have yet to hear Toy . Love live, but I am reliably informed that ‘‘Toy -Love” iri:- fact does not live up to.'the anarchy on stage which makes the band so popular. For aU ■ that,-, though, Toy Love is superb, another ,New Zealand album to add to the top end of the collection alongside true Colours.” ■ The 15 songs encompass a wide range' of material, from punk, rock, pop, to a .snatch of a song,;from “West Side Story on *lFrogs,” before it breaks into “Fast Ostrich.” » *?.The songwriting is ’equally as good! Chris Knox and friends show .that they can give age-old themes an extra twist, and when, the band gets going it boils over. “Bride of Frankenstein” has been : released as the single, but why not “Pull Down The : Shades”? Although done many times, this old. .'Enemy! track shows the -band can really rock, and lit stands out on the ’album. , „ t Often it is difficult for .'an “anarchic” band to get Raptured in the studio, but ‘Todd Hunter, formerly of •Dragon, has ‘done a good •job. In any case, the band .'•has made anarchy of the '.cover and inner sleeve,

coming across like some high-school graffiti. For pop, head for “Who’s At The Bottom Of Your Swimming Pool” and “Ain’t It ..Nice” “Don’t Catch Fire,” again has the band momentarily raging, and Jane Walker’s keyboards come across clearly on one of the best tracks, “Bedroom.” “Toy Love” matches anything coming from overseas at the moment. Their.fun and originality are infectious, even if the sound is a bit. cluttered in places, and the band deserves- the’No. 4 spot in the album charts. ■■ LIP SERVICE “Lip Service” (CBS 58P237517) Lip Service have been around for a while now, and after some personnel changes have definitely settle! into stride, as the. debut album shows. What is immediately striking about the album is the excellent sound quality. The producer,. Graeme Myhre, has caught the sound the band creates with precision — so sharp it could be used for cutting. Underlying that, the album has some weaknesses, notably in content, but Lip Service themselves are aware. of that. However, the faith that John Hood, ■ the Radio Hauraki DJ, who talked CBS New Zealand’s record executives ■ into listening

Jto the band, has been justified. ? ;■ - . “Eating' Out” and “Mister Right” - set the scene, although both use solo sound fillers for the occasional gaps. , Some reviewers have said that Lip Service have tended to try, and dut-do Mi-Sex, but that quality is not overly significant By. far the best track on the album is “Elim N 8,” particularly in the repetitive use of lead guitar, which’ pushes ' the song above the others. But "Cover Girl,” “Playschool,” “Rush Hour,” and “Situations,” all retain a fresh,- original .sound that • makes the album stand ~ou£