Not to avoid

Press, 19 August 1982, Page 18

Not to avoid

COLIN NEWMAN “Not To” (RTC CAD 201). Wire never sold many records, but they became fairly fashionable after their dispersal — ", . . bought ‘Pink Flag’ years ago, etc

I tried very hard to like this ex-Wire man’s first , solo album, “A-Z,” but I played.it a few times, got rid of it, and went back to “Map Reference,” “Outdoor Miner,” and all those other original goodies. "Not To” is not to be dismissed lightly. “Provisionally Entitled Singing Fish”? Sorry, didn’t bother.

You may have read it before, but this, really, is where the last Wire album, “154,” left off. Newman has, again with drummer Robert Gotobed, caught that sharpness and. exhilaration. .The production is as clean as a Handy Andy floor, and the music is interesting. He is not dawdling often, and when he does (“Truculent Yet”) you sit down and you listen to it. Attention! Yours is drawn to the first, track, “Lorries,” which may be the best. Perhaps it is the equivalent of 1960 s chestnuts like . . .

“Foot Tapper?" It does here. The listener can dismiss “1,'2, 3, Beep Beep” as being extremely silly, or perhaps

enjoy it for being just that. Trivia fans will be able to “interpret seriously” his version of “Blue Jay Way,” which is an interesting finish. I haven’t got a review copy of "Not To,” but I think I’ll buy one this week. Who said we only do it for free re-, cords? (Flatmate angrily demands his wearing copy of “Not To.”) SIMPLE MINDS “Promised You A Miracle” (RTC 'V4BB 45). This is a couple of sentences to say that if you have not caught up on Simple Minds (from Scotland) in 1981-82, then you should have. I ignored them until the modern dance gem, “Love Song,” which is still available here, and their latest release here, “Promised You A Miracle,” continues the promise. If one must buy this “new” recycled funk-synth stuff, one must do it right. That “miracle” is still a very long way away, but take it for what it is, a very good record. What? You were going to buy that John Cougar 45? Listen, he’s been trying longer than Simple Minds (formed 197879) for a hit. Have you seen the video for "Hurts So Good"? Laugh? I could have given up “Fawlty Towers.” Please boycott such rubbish. DAVID SWIFT.