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Rip It Up, Issue 34, 1 May 1980, Page 22

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Reviewed by George Kay

The Swingers, One Good Reason, (Ripper) The best of this month’s Rippers. The Swingers specialize in commercial austerity. Their songs are only just this side of ugliness, cold anti-pop, hard aloof songs that have gut impact and definite signs of pending fame. The Swingers have something. And so does

Graham Brazier, Six Piece Chamber, (Ripper) He seems to have been concealing a few ideas in the latter days of Hello Sailor coz “Six Piece Chamber" is a pulsating piece of rock reggae pinched in lyrical focus from the roulette scene in The Deer Hunter.

The flip is Split Enzers past and present laying out one of their oldies, "The Instrumental". Self-explanatory and pleasant filling.

The Features, City Scenes (Propellor Records) Another well-intentioned independent label established this time by Simon Grigg. The Features are a new Auckland four piece reviewed by Grigg two issues ago. "City Scenes" is messy but inventive Kinks, a song needing a little more care to bring out its undisputed potential. On the other side the Beatles’ "Do You Want to Know A Secret" is subjected to a Pop Group treatment with speed added. “Police Wheels" is just a lousy song full stop. But a good start all in all.

The Spelling Mistakes, Feels So Good (Propellor Records) Of the two the Spelling Mistakes would have the commercial edge as they take their cue from the strident pop of the likes of the Buzzcocks and the Boys. "Feels So Good” is an excellent example of that genre, "I Hate the Spelling Mistakes” and "Hate Me Hate Me" are more android but not without tangible niceties. Three out of three.

The Terrorways, Short Haired Rock’n’Roll

Proud Scum, Suicide 2, (Ripper) Auckland's independent Ripper Records have begun a full-scale campaign of releasing local talent in pic sleeves. The Terrorways are first and formative and they prove to be ardent "Get Out of Denver” enthusiasts. A good place to start but move from there eh? On the flip are Proud Scum with the story of John Atrocity. He was born in 1977 and has failed to develop. There’s time yet. The Jam, Going Underground (Polydor) No mistake, Paul Weller would be the best individual songwriter to come out of Britain since 1977 and that’s not forgetting Costello. With four albums of rising merit and a host of superlative singles to his credit you’d almost expect a slight relaxation in quality. Not so,

although not up to its apocalyptic forerunner, "Eton Rifles”, the new forty-five "Going Underground” is another thudding stacatto song in the best Jam tradition. "Dreams of Children" on the B side also stabs its jagged presence home with psychotic ease.

The Clash, Train In Vain EP (CBS) A very worthy package this one. The main side is "Train in Vain", the unlisted last song from London Calling. It’s Beatles in overall demeanour and doesn’t suffer from it. The two songs on the reverse side are now part of youth culture "Clash City Rockers”, abrasive, and "White Man in Hammersmith Palais", London reggae. Just what you’ve been waiting for.

Th’ Dudes, Bliss (Key) On their last single Th’ Dudes mix a few styles. Jamaican "aaahhh yyyhhh yyaa” intro, rock verses and pub sing-along choruses. A socially biting way to conclude a career in entertainment and even though it isn’t up to their best it has a certain drunken fervour. God bless Th’ Dudes. In commemoration we'll have three minutes of

Flight X-7, I Lose Control (Polydor) Unwanted signs of Mi-Sex and associated techno-robotic minions, past and present, at work here. Love/lust via stomping song tantrums are not desirable especially when as calculated as this. It will probably make the top ten or so, but Flight X-7 can do better than this.

Tigers, Red Dress (EMI) NZ bands not only take themselves too seriously but they also pick lousy names. What sorta name is the Tigers or the Crocodiles come to that? Anyway the Tigers were chosen by EMI in preference to Dunedin’s Rockylox, and to be honest "Red Dress” is a neat, cute post-punk MOR catchy item which will not harm like all good pop.

XTC, Walt Till Your Boat Goes Down (Virgin) Not pop but a new Partridge song that repeats the eccentricities developed on "Roads Girdle the Globe" and "Millions” from Drums and Wires. "Boat" is club-footed reggae and Partridge adopts his slightly demented act. Not a comfortable single but it would make

an effective album track

Flip over and surprise, a new version of Moulding’s "Ten Feet Tall", absolutely essential, clever and seductive, beats the album original and I didn’t think that was possible.

Toy Love, Don’t Ask Me (De Luxe) NZ singles are coming of age. Local artists are now aware that THE forty-five is a product in its own right and not just the most commercial track to be lifted from an album.

Knox and Toy Love are singles lovers of old and “Don’t Ask Me” reaches back with uncanny precision to take Merseyside nuances and place them in 1980’s rock’n’roll. “Sheep” doesn't match "Squeeze" as a flip but it’s perceptive punk dynamics. But the production is flat and colourless which leads us onto:

Sfreef Talk, She’s Done It Again (WEA) This is the best sounding NZ record heard in a while. Producer Bruce Lynch has taken Fowley’s prodigal sons a step closer to single’s perfection on the Joe Jacksonish “She’s Done ft Again”. Snappy persistent bass line, crisp emphatic guitar sound and a concise melody make this a song worth shelling out for.

The Cure, Boys Don’t Cry EP (Stunn) This record features the three enlightened A-sides released in Britain last year by London’s bright boy trio, The Cure, and made available here on Stunn, a new label set up by ex-patriot Terry Condon. "Boys Don’t Cry” is modern heart-felt pop, fresh and vibrant. "Jumping Someone’ Else's Train” is similar in texture but less forlorn. Both are memorable and completely different from the muted edginess of "Killing An Arab”, no fun but hardly forgettable. Stunn are off to a great start. Condon, there’s a knighthood in the mail.

The Crocodiles, Tears (RCA) This Wellington six-piece have already captured the imagination and maybe the wallets of the public. “Tears", their first record of any form is an ingratiating little song boasting the mature writing skills inherent in the band. Their emergence is opportune as there sure is a shortage of semi-satirical bands in NZ. We take this rock’n’roll too seriously but not so the Crocodiles.