BRIEFS

Rip It Up, Issue 53, 1 December 1981, Page 16

BRIEFS

Mink DeVille

Savoir Fare (Capitol) A collection of greatest nonhits. It's criminal how Willy DeVille has been neglected. Just listen to This Must Be The Night' or 'Just Your Friends'. For rock 'n' roll romance, DeVille at least equals Springsteen. How can a man looking and sound this good not be a millionaire? DC

Sparks Whomp That Sucker (RCA)

Back to basics for the Brothers Mael, who've never quite lived up to their 1974 hit LP Kimono My House. Since then, they've tried everything, including a venture into disco with Giorgio Moroder. This one's recorded under Moroder's auspices in Germany, but soundwise it's the closest they've come to repeating their biggest success. Loopy, quirky, frantic, zany. Pick any one. Good for a giggle. DC Daryl Hall and John Oates Private Eyes (RCA) They were once among the doyens of blue-eyed soul. Then came a more hard-rock approach and recently we've had the poppy 'Kiss On My List'. If Hall and Oates have a problem these days it's that they're almost too prolific.

Private Eyes contains impressive examples of their various fortes. The title track is destined for the singles chart while track two could almost be classic Motown. Side One is consistently strong. PT

Graeme Gash After The Carnival (Siren)

Gash (ex Waves) compares making records' with aural painting, and if ever a record sounded as though it was carefully painted, piece by piece, it's this one. . A beautiful shimmering crystal-clear production, After The Carnival might seem a bit short on actual songs, but it grows into a most . appetising whole. Musical wallpaper in the finest sense of the term, and the best showcase yet for Harlequin. RC Atlanta Rhythm Section

Quinella (CBS) Southern exposure time. Perfectly crafted rock in the solid state of many notable 70s bands. For example, the title track sounds like an out-take from mid-period Little Feat. Side One's mostly for shitkickin' (without getting too dirty now) while Side Two mellows out somewhat. Plaintive harmonies, peaceful, easy feelings and pass that ripple wine. PT Genesis

Abacab (Vertigo) A continuation of the post Peter Gabriel format, with no surprises. The title track, which opens the album, holds out the

candy, but there is only one mouthful. The remainder is pleasant. Not. in the same league as Phil Collins' impressive solo outing, Face Value. For. Genesis collectors only. DP Ronnie Wood 1 2 3 4 (CBS) Another genial, sloppy LP from Ronnie Wood who now has four genial, sloppy LPs to his credit. Ron has assembled a stellar crew of his good mates Bobby Womack, lan McLagan, Charlie Watts, Nicky Hopkins and they have had a good thrash about. Of course, the album has been put together with considerably more care than that comment would indicate, but there is an endearingly knockabout quality about all Wood's work. I like it. Pity he's not a better singer. KW

Emmylou Harris

Cimmaron (WEA)

Anyone out there mourning the demise of the excellent Pozo Seco should check out Emmylou's duet here . with that group's founder Don Williams on Townes Van Zandt's 'lf I Needed You'. Arguably the highlight of a pretty even set of songs. As always, Emmylou sounds best when singing with someone else, or when doubletracking herself on harmony. RC

Muddy Waters King Bee (Epic) Johnny Winter comes up with another winner for 'Muddy Waters. How long this blessed collaboration can continue to produce such wonderful music is anybody's guess, but they show no signs of slowing down. Only the cream of Muddy's Chess label recordings can top the albums Winter has put together with Chicago's' blues king. By a narrow margin, King Bee may be the best of the WinterWaters' efforts. Until, the next one. KW

Comsat Angels Sleep No More (Polydor) Last year the Comsats began as the Next Big Thing with a single, 'lndependence Day' and an album Waiting For A Miracle. At hand we have their second album, Sleep No More,

an exercise in Joy Division uniformity and troubled consciences. The title, taken from a line in Macbeth, indicates the brooding sombre nature of the music from which there's no relief. So dignified and depressing, but who needs it? GK The Cars -

Shake It Up (Elektra) On first hearing this sounds like just another case of American pomposity and flatulence. After another couple of plays the emerging melodies and sly textures close in on the plodding beat and you're hooked. Well, by some numbers anyway. ('Think It Over' would make a stronger single than the title track). That their 'sound is distinctly American may not grab the NZ sensibility as much as, say, Simple Minds. But don't write off the CarsTJmHH PT The-Raybeats Guitar Beat (Beggars Banquet)

The delerium noticed at Clean gigs for their instrumentals, 'James Bond Theme' even, suggests the era of the rock instrumental could yet return. The Raybeats will certainly be hoping so with this album of updated Shadows/Surfaris guitar pieces. Not an unqualified success spread over two sides, but try the title track. RC Polecats

Polecats Are Go (Mercury) Rockabilly is rockabilly. The restrictions of that 50s confederate idiom are transcended only by the best be they Cramps or Shakin' Pyramids. The Polecats are young, fast and innocent English rockabilly artists who raised a little attention with their tastefully conventional cover of Bowie's 'John, I'm Only Dancing'. They have a freshhess and vulnera-

bility that's difficult to resist. Likeable, and not a rebel jacket in sight. GK A 1 Green

The Lord Will Make A Way (Myrrh) The religious content of Al Green's secular music has always been high. So I guess that it should come as no surprise that this album of devotional songs slots neatly in with the rest of his

work. In fact he applies pretty much the same mixture of country, gospel and soul that characterises The Belle Album to these eight mostly traditional songs and achieves the same winning result. The passion and joy evident here places the album up with the best of AI Green's recordings and that's a very high standard indeed. (Available, Box 275, Levin.)AD Hattie And The Havana Hot Shots (Ode) A little souvenir, for 'those who have spent the odd night at Jillys, where the Hot Shots are resident. Unless you've seen them live, it's difficult to assess the band's appeal, since they are essentially a live act. The sound is a congenial mixture of blues, swing, reggae and calypso. What it lacks here is Hattie's visual impact, and the feedback the band gets from its audience. The production on this LP is flat and 'uninspired, robbing the band of its steam. Hattie gives her best on the torch ballad 'Angel Eyes', but the rest sounds a little tepid without the sound of clinking glasses and general revelry. DC The Blues Band Itchy Feet (Arista) This is the BB's third album. A major ideal of the band was that music should be fun, and it's certainly evident with this album. Although probably not as strong as their debut, Itchy Feet still delivers plenty of good, strong, driving boogie and blues, with one or two slower tracks thrown in for good measure. Best tracks include 'Talking Woman Blues', 'ltchy Feet', 'Ultimate Time' and 'Nuthin' But The Blues'.' PE Rose Tattoo Assault & Battery (Alberts) ' A more menacing bunch ol chaps I haven’t seen on a record cover for ages deliver their aptlytitled second album. Stablemates of AC DC, Rose Tattoo d rawseveral obvious parallels, without quite the. awesome power and finesse of Angus and the lads. Recommended, but not for the faint-hearted. C.C