Builders set

Press, 9 January 1986, Page 12

Builders set

THE BUILDERS “Let’s Play” (South Indies SINZ11). Another chapter in the extraordinary story of Bill Direen and the Builders — in this case at least parttime Builders because some tracks use session people (including Tony Green, on drums, who writes for this column.)

This is Direen from a different perspective. He has joined the movement north to reside in Wellington (and South Indies, P.O. Box 4016, Wellington is where you can get this album.) “Let’s Play” covers some wide Direen material, from very early stuff, and it’s a test for the ear. Certainly, Direen is not souled-out as he tries many different musical forms, from the quite magical “Opium And Gold,” to the murky “Johnny Devlin’s Shoes.” “Let’s Play” is the kind of

LP where each person has individual favourite tracks. ‘Friday,” is a strong one, with plenty of rhythm, while highly enjoyable is the contradictory “Resting Sleepwalker.” But what is the listener to make of “Newspaper Sleep,” in which both the title and “I walk,” is repeated continuously for a short time (on the back cover is a tiny billboard with “Extra, extra, stick man walks”). Highly confusing, especially to a newspaper journalist! , “Rubbish In The City," is another song that depends on repetition, although in this case it might be the closest that Direen could possibly get to disco. Top of my list is the song “Stand Up,” and I also enjoy the way that Direen has brought in Karl Holdorf on trombone to give more variety in instruments. ; — NEVIN TOPP.