Dobbyn plays cool

Press, 8 November 1984, Page 18

Dobbyn plays cool

DD SMASH “The Optimist” (Mashroom RML52O5l.)Dave Dobbyn is one of the biggest hams around. The cover of “The Optimise’ features the famous silent screen situation of comic Harold Lloyd hanging from a clock face umpteen stories above the ground, except it’s not Lloyd but Dobbyn. There is even a track called “Actor” on the album. Dobbyn must be considered one of the most talented Kiwi rock musicians around, the succcess of Th’ Dudes and the last DD Smash album, “Cool Bananas” attest to that. But, what will the fans make of this mainstream effort. Personally, with all the horn sections and synthesizers, I like it, even if it has a tilt towards the American market. There are some throwaway MOR tracks here, including “Actor,” “Surrender,” and even “Magic What She Do,” which features Jenny Morris, formerly of the Crocodiles, on backing vocals. But Dobbyn twists bis voice enough to make even these songs interesting. One of the best tracks is a cover of Luther Vandross’s “She Loves Me Back,” which has Dobbyn in full stretch in vocals on what is

an exceptional, and funky song, “Open Up,” his own composition, is in a similar vein. The small one also uses some more familiar songs, including “Guilty,” which retains Andrew (Houston's saxophone, and has Sharon O’Neill in the backing. “Whaling,” the single, is probably the most conventional (for Dobbyn) of the' tracks, but it still retains those vocal turns that make listening to DD Smash interesting. Another strong element on “The Optimist,” is the percussion, featuring among others Bruce Lynch, and it shows up strongly on “Tobacco Indian.” This track shows what Dobbyn could have done with some of the more mainstream songs.

Only Peter Warren remains of last year’s DD Smash, an international act in its own right. Right to the final track, “Head Start,” Dobbyn hams it up. Oodles of talent and it shows. PS Among the track listing on vocals is Mark Williams. SPLIT ENZ “See Ya’ Round (Mushroom RML52050.) The Enz is near! As the band takes its final bow around New Zealand the last record album hits the turntable. A glance at the cover shows that Tim Finn does not feature at all on this album. — six songs by Neil Finn, one co-written by Neil and Eddie Rayner, one instrumental by Eddie, one Nigel Griggs composition, one by drumming newcomer, Paul Hester, and Noel Abercrombie also progresses from spoons.

Since starting in 1972, Split Enz have managed to appeal to quite a few generations. Everyone seems to have their own favourite Enz albums, be it “Mental Notes,” “Dizrhythmia,” or “True Colours.” Unfortuantely, I don’t think “See Ya’ Round” is going to reach these heady heights, and one of the reasons seems to be that Tim Finn’s influence is absent! There do not seem to be any potential hit singles on the album, a quality that the previous three albums the band have released have had. Enz (minus Tim) have lost their bite.

Neil Finn’s songs dominate side one, but the track to stand out — strangely enough for.its Deep Purple sound — is “Years Go By,” the track co-written with Rayner. “Doctor Love” is a fairly simplistic song. Neil seems to be tied up with his domestic circumstnaces, and it is “Years Go By” which seems to show it, although “I Walk Away” may have a bit of the final daze of Split Enz in it as well.

Neil tries his own version of Tim’s Te Awamutu years on side two in “Kia Kaha,” a song that the group may have performed live last time they toured. It is not as successful as Tim’s own autobiographical notes.

Side two contains some wasted vinyl, opening on the Eddie Rayner instrumental, “The Lost Cat,” which just lacks the keyboards punch his earlier lyricless tunes had. “See Ya’ Round” closes

on some goonery from Abercrombie on “Ninnie’s Knees Up,” and it is no better.

The most startling track is from Paul Hester with “This Is Massive.” It comes out aggressively, and it seems that Hester has taken in some of the brash Australian sound — but it works. And so there you have it, a means to an Enz. A disappointing closing chapter to what has been the story of the most successful New Zealand band for a decade. I don’t say that the album is not worth listening to, but judging by the content it seems that the members of the band have made the right decision. - NEVIN TOPP.