THE HENCHEN I Got A RIGHT

Rip It Up, Issue 61, 1 August 1982, Page 22

THE HENCHEN I Got A RIGHT

*W Xr’V JTT Nocturnal Projections*^ Nerve Ends in Power Line: (Emission) Modern energy in abundance but lacks vocal clarity. Shows promise of things to come. B-side : 'ln Purgatory' has its own tension but both songs are as similar in arrangement as they are in outlook. Herbs, French letter (Warrior) A soothing Scuth seas calypso beat as in sipping rum and coke under a palm tree until^anti- 1 nuclear lyrics hit you like a falling coconut this is a protest song. Side Two is a longer dub version. Great production. The Royales Living in the Suburbs (Key) A strong rhythm track, spacey keyboards and painful twangy guitar. Mi-Sex meets Members. Rob Aicken has achieved a full sound here, but the words are simply banal. I Am Joe's Music The Way You Get Your Way (Mushroom) I Am Joe's Music is ex Crocodile Fane Flaws. Two years old, but

i.still a natty pop tune, humour intact. Flip 'Sex War' is not such easy listening. Henchmen ,1 Got a Right (Cadaver) b Aggressive this, ala Iggy Pop iSehrch and Destroy, but not quite, [although there's a bit of growling to finish up. B-side is a 'hit you with my wall of noise' number, but then it's not trying to be anything else. . ' I Accessories, The Accessory I Recorded on IZH Hamilton [four track, this is the band's ska I theme song. Phil Hirst's lighthearted piano is a relief. More could be made of this piece. - 'Friday Night' is mediocre, the lyrics don't help. Dance Exponents Victoria (Mushroom) . 'Victoria' is irritatingly catchy. . Starts slowly with plenty of space and builds in classic manner. Very melodic. Flip, 'Can't Kiss the Lips of a Memory' provides a good antidote. - > Paul Agar (Look Into) Your Eyes (Reaction) - We've heard a lot about this boy, but the tune isn't all it's cracked up to be. Traditional pop ; formula, sixties sweet vocals and ultimately forgettable. 'Beat the Night' has more substance. . B. Caitcheon Can You Rock 'n' Roll Rex? New Mockers' guitarist's solo effort. Title track is simply gazoo and guitar, Boring Barney' is gazoo with two guitars. Best is The Mercy of the Chain' on the other side, a quiet, sombre,

meandering instrumental. I Mantra I Night Street Lady (Warrior) I Based on aHM riff but the I guitar solo is saved for the end. I On 'Passing Friend' (B-side) it's in I the middle. Both tracks lack I spark,, little is accomplished. I Ann Louise Martin

The Members Radio, 12" (Genetic/Island) . Produced by Martin Rushent, engineered by Dave Allen, this is the record 'Working Girl' hinted at, solid funk, total danceability, in fact disco. Like good disco, a very dubious lyric: "Listen to the radio it's better than the stereo."??? '(lf . You) Can't Stand Up' is also fine funk, but star performer is 'Radio' dub version. Easily the record of the month. The Fall Lie Dream Of A Casino Soul (Gap) The Fall's material can be superb

or shit. Opinions vary as to which is which, but I've no doubts about this one, it's brilliant. A hounding drumbeat behind Mark Smith's white rock-rap on a tune that's not very far from pop. Other side is 'Fantastic Life', nearly as good but a bit lengthy. Bow Wow Wow Go Wild in the Country (RCA) From the album, Bow Wow Wow at their best. Those great jungle drums and even a worthwhile lyric. It comes in the 'Manet wouldn't buy me a Bow Wow Wow' sleeve. Flip 'EI Boss Dicho' is a spaghetti western instrumental better than most. Funkapolitan In the Crime of Life (London) Recorded under the wing of August (Kid Creole) Darnell. Aside is New York neu-disco, bland enough for white radio stations. Of more interest is War' on t'other side. Harsher rap funk with more than a hint of New Yorkers, Material. Echo & the Bunnymen The Back of Love (WEA) This may be a taste of the album to come. A more aloof production though the sound is as full as ever and strange noises hit you from behind. But both songs lack the bite of much of Heaven Up There, leaving me worried about their third album. Depeche Mode see You, 7" & 12" (Mute) When Vince Clarke left Depeche Mode to form Yazoo, I seriously doubted their ability to

bounce back. But Martin Gore is capable of writing good singles. The white pop side in music and image is now dominant, an easier concept for white boys from Basildon. Squeeze Black Coffee In Bed (A&M) With last year's East Side Story, Squeeze regained lost credibility. Taken from their album Sweets From A Stranger, 'Black Coffee In Bed' hinges on strong keyboards and vocal harmonies. Costello guests on backing vocals. A strong radio song. The Comsat Angels It's History (Polydor)The Comsat Angels have been around for a few years now, without making much impression on the record-buying public, despite a couple of great albums. In similar territory to the Bunnymen, they demand intensive listening, and 'lt's History' shows them achieving a much richer sound. I look forward to the next album. Belle Stars Iko Iko, pic disc (Stiff) Belle Stars are a London sevenpiece all girl group who often support Madness. Their attractive rnoderne picture disc sports an old song. All good fun though. Flip, The Reason', once past its Comsat Angels intro is probably the better tune. Human League Open Your Heart/Non Stop, 12" (Virgin) You all know 'Open Your Heart', don't you? 'Non Stop' is a lightweight dance instrumental. On the other side the two merge into a dub collage that is both strange and interesting but little more. Yukihiro Takahashi • Drip Dry Eyes (Alfa) Mr Takahashi is percussionist in Japan's Yellow Magic Orchestra. This is from his solo Neuromantic. Rather pleasant, with its vampy synth and sharp beats, but very reminiscent of modern Roxy Music. If you like this, check out

the album. There is a lot better on it. The Fixx, Stand Or Fall (MCA) Proteges:of Rupert Hine who combine-all elements of modern music necessary for 'a hit'.-The result is not memorable, and therefore unlikely to ‘ have. the desired effect. Flip is The Strain', an obvious attempt at a Teardrop Explodes feel, but it sounds like Men At Work. . Pete Shelley I Don't Know What It Is (Island) One of the more memorable cuts from Shelley's Homosapien. If you've heard the album, you know the song. Of more interest is the flip, 'Witness The Change'. . A Heaven 17 keyboard with disco beat. A long way from the Buzzcocks and superior to 70 percent of Homosapien. Hunters & Collectors Talking To . A Stranger (White Label) ‘ '■£ - After the three track 12-inch EP released early in the year, I had . great hopes for this Melbourne "big. band'. But their album is devoid of any comparable commercial material, excepting Talking To A Stranger', a delightful fusion of jazz-funk pop with multi-tiered percussion and distant horns. The B-side is the seven minute version. - Flaming Hands It's Just That I Miss You/Go Or Stay (Phantom) Sydney's Flaming Hands are an accomplished, if rather predictable unit, playing Australian rock and roll. 'Go Or Stay' is reminiscent of the Sunnyboys, but with sax and female vocals, while It's Just That. I Miss You' is a more ambitious ballad. Gary U.S. Bonds Out Of Work (Liberty) From his album On The Line, a typical Bruce Springsteen song, arranged arid produced by Bruce and Miami Steve. It will no doubt appeal to fans of this genre. Me it leaves cold. Bonds' mock soul 'Bring Her Back' is better. Mark Phillips