American rock beat

Press, 8 November 1984, Page 18

American rock beat

THE GUN CLUB “Fire Of Love” (Big Time BT7015). R.E.M. “Reckoning” (Epic ELPS4439). Never mind adultoriented rock — the Gun Club have journeyed back to the roots of rock ’n’ roll, added a splash of 80s thrash, and come up with a distinctly American-sounding LP that edges out all the current “punkabilly” competition (excepting, of course, the mighty Cramps). Actually, all this was accomplished three years ago. “Fire Of Love” is a belated New Zealand release for the first Gun Club long player, following “Miami,” and the EP, “Death Party.” It takes only one listen to realise this is healthy stuff. From the throb of “Sex Beat,” the delta feel of “Preaching The Blues,” to the boogie of “Jack On Fire,” the Gun Club play lean ’n’ hungry music reminiscent of Creedence Clearwater Revival at their best.

Unfortunately, this standard has not been kept up for the later records, and Club captain Jeffrey Lee Pierce now has a new-look band to perform his songs. So “Fire Of Love” may have been a one-off success, but the Gun Club can be well pleased. This music is

not nostalgic, in spite of obvious debts to the past, but a powerful and authentic debut Get on their “Black Train” soon, or else

Meanwhile, from the “bet-ter-late-than-never” pile comes the second album from R.E.M. another product of the hotbed of musical inventiveness that is Athens, Georgia. This band also look back for their inspiration, but they appear to have settled on the ‘65-67 era of American pop, and, specifically, the Byrds. Incidentally, that band must be shifting a lot of vinyl just now, if the publicity generated by the Smiths and others is having any effect — another comeback in the offing, perhaps? Thankfullly, as with the Gun Club, the comparisions are based only on superficial similarities. R.E.M. play on more than one level, their simple tunes belying a lyrical maturity and instrumental prowess that indicates they could be around for some time.

And, amazingly, Stateside listeners are taking to them, judging by the appearance of “Reckoning” in the low twenties on the “Billboard” charts. This is possibly be-

cause the lads have let their hair grow long, thus making them less “noo wave” (thank you, Violent Femmes). The music on “Reckoning” takes some time before., its true worth sinks Rather than the full frontal attack of the Gun Club,’ songs such as the gorgeous ! “Rockville,” the swaggering * “Second Guessing,” and the rickenbacker disco of “Har-.> borcoat” gradually seduce: the unsuspecting listener. * > And, after first appearing on “RWP” almost three. months ago (and being writ-' ten offl “S. Central Rain” is. now a personal favourite. There is a lot of going on) in this bass, guitar, keyboards, and vocals unit that ■ becomes apparent only if, perserverea with. The singer, Michael Stipe, ap-; pears to have a limited' voice at first, but before’ long his tremulous vocal chords stand revealed as a real strength. Not all the songs are as! good as those already men-* Boned. “Camera” is too' sorry for itself, and “Pretty; Persuasion” is almost four' minutes of nothing much, but on the whole, “Reckon-; ing” is an impressive second! outing from this most persuasive of bands. -TONY GREEN.