On Tape

Rip It Up, Issue 84, 1 July 1984, Page 36

On Tape

The Axemen Mick’s Dancefloor ($8) Big Cheap Motel ($5.99) PO Box 2764, Christchurch Two more boxes of Axemania. Mick s Dancefloor was recorded last year, live and at practice and inside a glorious four colour foldout LP sleeve you get stirring stuff ('Banned From the Empire), boring stuff ( Fickle Red Book ) and msipired crazy stuff (their cover of Beat It ) with snatches of found sound and a complete transcript of it all. Big Cheap Motel is. like, a concept album. It was spawned when the band played at an outdoor gig (part of the local arts festival) sponsored by Big M (flavoured milk similar to Zap but somewhat better tasting, you Northerners) and found the stage covered with posters of bronzed women in bulging bikinis advertisi ig the stuff. They found that offensive, sexist and dumb and ihey decided to make their perormance about that. Recorded at the time and then later at home. Comes in concept packaging with straw. Musically, not as good as Mick s Dancefloor but has song titles like Scanty Town Ride'. Stoopid Symbol of Womm-Hate 1 and ‘Your Milk Comes From Cows'. RB The World

52 Longfellow St. Ch :h S 5 It doesn t matter if you never saw the World live, it doesn't matter if you've never even heard of the World. Between Allen Meek's moody yet magical pop songs (impressively sung by Charles Heywood) and Bridget Mulcahy's two refreshingly experimental songs the band's diversity is emphasised. Normally a violin in a band impresses me like fingernails on a blackboard but here Andrea Cocks' violin fits perfectly. It would be easy to say that this is the best local tape I've

heard but then I never saw them live. How bout dat? AC Crystal Zoom Hooked on Crystal Zoom $5.50. 14 Montrose St. Dunedin Firstly, full marks for the packaging a cuddly, orange little purse ... mmm . . . Smart too it makes you favourably disposed towards. the tape straight away. Crystal Zoom are both punky and funny and they've also stretched out a bit musically. The recording quality is very good. Sniffing pillows is fun. And they have stickers! They may not be perfect but can you resist? RB Sons of Absid Game Over Rites Tapes. $4.50 Sons of Absid. of which two appear on this tape, originate from Palmerston North. Like their fellow brothers, the Amazing Carlton Heston. Nubians of Plutonium. etc. they have a bent for the electronic and absurd sound made wonderful. Six songs. All worth the effort. More Barrels for Mario' drifts and sways into a haunting curiosity (different version available on Music to Do the Dishes Top). There is an overall Burrowing Sad Circus feel of wafting vocals. Guitar and bass feature irreverently to neat use. The Casiotone has a lovely living room chant to it. although its rhythm machine tends to grow tiring after a while. Influences appear obvious in some pieces but the eventual sound and overall construction are definitely original. Well worth a purchase. Luke Rupa Menial Vex The Final Testament Rites. $4 It does Menial Vex no good to release a tape such as this then again, it can do them no harm as they broke up long ago. All the elements are there but a terrible, terrible recording doesn't give any room to listen. LR Legacy of Ears Beetroot In Orbit (Recycled Edition TV Eye 007) 506 Queens Drive. Invercargill. $6. Only one piece of outright crap

( The Otto Said ) seven humble pieces of genuis (find them yourself. • hint: six are on Side Two). 11 lesser successes, five mundane slabs and one monstrously ambitious piano solo ('Life?, I'll Give you Life!') that occupies too much of Side One and leaves me with no opinion worth expressing. All his own work, with some very differing styles being brought to bear on some unusual material Don't be put of by Side One. at least listen as far as the lovely Shed' before you sellotape over the holes. CK Blitzkreig, Indirekt Greetings From Holland (Rites) Dutch punk makes a stand! Can understand the lyrics but the feeling's there. Two bands. Identikit are the best, with a strong female vocalist and some great tracks, varying from catchy speed to slower workouts, while Blitzkreig have some English lyrics but aren't as hot. Neither group is the cream of Dutch punk Zowiso. Alerto. Ex and Svatso are better but as an introduction to the widespread foreign scene it's not bad at all.

Neil Cartwright All Rites Tapes are available from 25-004. St Heliers. Auckland Smart Russians Heartbeat $3.50. PO Box 13-411. Chch. The debut recordings from a band with its roots in one-time South Island trekkers Divine Faction. It's what you might expect four pieces of modern rock music that are passable but not exceptional. The best thing about Smart Russians at the moment might be their sense of humour. RB