CB's Going Places

Rip It Up, Issue 26, 1 September 1979, Page 13

CB's Going Places

John Malloy

Citizen Band Just Drove Thru Town CBS Let’s come right out and admit it. Most reviewers are way too kind to Kiwi bands. It’s simple abuse an overseas act and the record company crosses you’ off their Christmas card list. Abuse the local boys and you're liable to be confronted in the pub just when what you needed was a quiet drink and a dose of unwind. This makes a person nervous. I’m not making excuses. The fact is, Citizen Band deserve to be taken seriously. They are one of the few bands still resident who are performing good original material, doing it well, and making a living. They have made an excellent second album. CBS obviously takes them seriously. The album is produced (unobtrusively) by Jay Lewis, and packaged bloody well. Its worth checking merely to observe the new standard they have set in covers. We’ll start with side one; five good ones, great to dance to, play it a lot. "No Stereo” is a nifty little number with a new twist on the pubcircuit road fever syndrome. No stereo Ever took my place Someone's Romeo Smacked me in the face “We’re The Boys” is one of two Mike Chunn songs, and it boasts a snappy chorus that’s not quite matched by Mike’s vocals on the verses. Brilliant/idiosyncratic as a bass player (and manager), he should maybe leave the vocals to Geoff. But he gets by. His version of Graham Parker’s “Protection” is good, but it can’t cut it next to the Parker version. Nobody does it better than GP. One of the gems is “Rust In My Car". Like rust in my car You hold the thing together Both grew up in stormy weather Geoff Chunn’s songwriting has matured with the band, so that songs like this one start out sounding good and then get better with repeated playing. This is talent. "5.0.5.” is a slow tune that does the same. I’m not sure whether its the unusual verse structure or the quiet hookline that does it, but it works. Side Two didn’t seem quite as good at first, but it contains several slow fuses that eventually light the spark. “City Slitz" has no problems. The song stretchqs one of Geoff Chunn's more obscure lyrics across an extended verse (in a bouncy 2/4 time) and then slams you with a classic, singable chorus. I don’t understand what it’s about, but I like it anyway. “Another Night, Another River”, is a slow fuse, with lyrics that border on the melodramatic. But the good tune and good arrangement, backed up by the most interesting rhythm section in the country, grabs your attention. ’ Let’s get it over with. “A Night At The Brit" is badnews. Regional references are OK, but this

song is rather a hamfisted attempt at catching the NZ flavour. The chorus is duff and Mike Chunn's vocals don’t save it. It was well placed on the second side. They redeem themselves a little wit-h "Acrobats” a second slow one that doesn't quite match up to "5.0.5.". Another one that takes a while to grip is "Snarl'’, a fairly solid rocker anchored by a fat bass. Once again, Geoff's lyrics border on the obscure but the song is strong. "Just Drove Thru Town” is an instrumental. CB’s strengths lie in their astonishing rhythm section and Geoff Chunn’s songs. Their weakness is occasionally in the vocal section, but mostly they compensate very well. They've lost much of the Enz influence detectable on their first album and they play and record like a band with purpose. More than anyone else they sound unmistakably NZ in origin. All right then. This is a fine second album from about the best. Kiwi band currently available. They’ve got misses for sure, but the hits more than compensate for that. If you haven’t checked them live yet, you should have.

You don’t need to buy this one for your New Zealand collection. Get it for your playlist. Your friends'll like you more.