Aussies can rule, O.K.?

Press, 27 February 1986, Page 10

Aussies can rule, O.K.?

JIMMY BARNES “For The Working Class Man” (Mushroom RML 55184/ s).This double album by Jimmy Barnes, the former lead singer of Cold Chisel, could be seen as playing on a home and away basis. Sides one and two are recorded in the United States, with a lot of guest players, and the final two sides being done in Australia, with a permanent team. The American tracks open with “I’d Die To Be With You Tonight,” with Barnes sounding like Bruce Springsteen, but lacking the song content. This track is already getting hefty airplay, and it, along with the other four tracks, are aimed straight at the American heartland of AOR. The guest list is like a who’s who of rock, Kim Carnes, on the opening track, former Little

Feat man, Bill Payne, on keyboards, Mick Fleetwood, on drums. The five opening songs ' were recorded in the States for Geffen Records, so it is not surprising that there are song titles like “American Heartbeat,” and references to Uncle Sam. Only once does Barnes slow down, playing a cool ballad on “Without Your Love." The Aussie sides produced by Mark Opitz, contain seven tracks of tightknit raucous rock that sound better than the opening two sides. This ban does not appear to be a group of session musos and it shows, on what is hard rock, without being heavy metal. Typical of the tracks is “Boys Cry Out For War," which is relentless with its driving guitars, so beloved of those in Oz.

But Barnes also sounds like Rod Stewart — the tracks include a mandolin and bagpipes. Although “For The Working Class Mein” has four sides, it cannot be classified as a true double album as the tracks are not that long. That aside, Barnes is in typical pile-driving form as he was with Cold Chisel with a voice that is suited to rock. DECKCHAIRS OVERBOARD “Deckchairs Overboard” (Regular L 38438). Deckchairs Overboard are an Australian band with a difference. Instead of loud sound that borders on heavy metal the group, now down to a duo of John Clifford, guitarist, and Cathy McQuade, bass, have a funky pop sound. The group have been going since 1982, and at one stage contained Paul

Hester, who left for Split Enz and later The Mullanes. The duo have put another band together around them, and the interesting thing about the debut album is that it is delightfully fresh, even though it has snatches of old funk tricks in it. “I Need You More,” a song that Hester had a hand in, is a good example of this. It’s beat is the kind of . thing heard plenty of times before, yet it still sounds new//. Deckchairs Overboard seem to have kept their best songs to the close of both sides of the album. On side one is “Love Takes Over,” a song that has a haunting melody, the kind of tune heard somewhere else before, but its funky'beat is irresistible. “Walking In The

Dark” is one of band’s earlier singles, featuring the departed guitarist, Ken Campbell, and is much poppier than the other tracks. It is surpris-' ing it did not have a better life in the charts. "Overboard,” the track before “Walking In The Dark,” is another good funky track. The production development was divided between Opitz and Martin Armiger, although the latter does not appear to have quite grasped the band’s -real sound — fracks like “Fight For Love” are disappointing. At the same time, though, Deckchairs Overboard, made a pleasant change from the brash Australians — like watching the spin of . Matthews instead of the pace of McDermott. -NEVIN TOPP.