‘These charming men’

Press, 3 May 1984, Page 15

‘These charming men’

HOWARD JONES “Human’s Lib” (WEA 240335-1). NIK KERSHAW “Human Racing” (MCA 3197-1). And now, straight from the hearts of those up-to-the-minute British pop fans comes the latest craze — singer/songwriters! Young and blonde, Howard Jones and Nik Kershaw have both recently had chart success in Britain with their similar styles of synthesised pop music and fresh-faced vocals. Both of these men have obviously worked hard at the art of songwriting, (Kershaw claims to have Cole Porter and Irving Berlin as major influences) but the result is very standard stuff which wears thin over a whole LP. Judging from the bland use of synthesisers throughout these records it would

seem that rapid commercial acceptance (via saturation radio play) is the goal. This is the major difference between (for instance) “New Song,” off the Howard Jones LP, and something like “This Charming Man,” from the Smiths. Whereas the former shows the calculated gleam of current radio-oriented music, the latter bursts from the speakers with the energy and charm that pop seemed to have in large amounts a few years back, in the heyday of the independent labels scene. The Howard Jones LP “Humans Lib,” was number one for weeks in England, and could easily repeat its success in New Zealand. Jones is responsible for most of the tunes on the LP, leaving lyrical chores to one William Bryant. This is basically bright, breezy synth-

pop that is occasionally at odds with the serious nature of the words. “Conditioning” a real Sesame Street guide to paranoia, and “Hide And Seek” are the worst examples of this — lyrical inspiration could have come from a Supertramp album. Elsewhere, “What Is Love?” and “New Song,” the single which first put Jones in the public eye, both reveal a talent for catchy choruses and arrangements, but the LP seems a rather dry affair on other tracks. Not so “Human Racing,” the debut from Nik Kershaw, a far more boppy offering. The electronic backing is very lively on this record, and the addition of guitar on many tracks is another plus. The songs, although again rather insubstantial, are

good radio fare. “Wouldn’t It Be Good” is in the Tom Petty mould, and others with instant appeal are “Dancing Girls,” “Shame On You,” and “I Won’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me.” Repeated playings, however, show a lack of bite in both these LPs. They show an unwillingness to experiment, and a compliance to the idea of success measured in units sold, not heads turned in amazement. Never mind press releases describing Howard' Jones as “emotional and optimistic,” or Nik Kershaw as “criminally handsome” — these lads need to escape from their chart-bound ruts and write songs that ensure them more than just fifteen minutes fame — remember Nick Heywood, anyone? — TONY GREEN