REGGAE

Rip It Up, Issue 86, 1 September 1984, Page 24

REGGAE

Clint Eastwood and General Saint Stop That Train

Greensleeves Both these deejays were stars in their own right in Jamaica before teaming up and becoming a major attraction in Britain, playing clubs and dancehalls. Their toasting routines are slick and inventive, packed with humour, but also capable of sounding words of warning. On 'Nuclear Crisis’ they evoke a genuinely

chilling atmosphere as they chant: ‘Beware! 'Cos we no want nuclear'. The title track goes back to the rock steady days and has been done in many versions, including one used on the soundtrack of the movie The Harder They Come, under the title 'Draw Your Brakes’. Eastwood and Saint team it up with the folk standard 'SOO Miles', giving a definitive demonstration of the art. Mention must be made of the way they complement each other vocally, Eastwood's voice being lighter and sassier, Saint’s being gruff and aggressive, but no less witty. Listen to them tear up the calypso warhorse 'Shame

And Scandal'. The anti-meat lobby gets a gentle and very funny ribbing on 'True Vegetation’, in sharp contrast to 'Stop Jack’, the album’s most militant toast, on the subject of police harrassment. Politicians get theirs on 'Vote For We' and a couple of cute kids are enlisted to share the vocals on the nursery rhyme patter of 'Rock With Me’, highly appealing. Recommended, as is the 12” version of the title track, also now available. In addition, we express fervent hope of seeing the rest of the excellent Greensleeves catalogue in our shops ere long. Duncan Campbell

Rita Marley Who Feels It Knows It

Third Degree

The second reggae release by Virgin this year, following on from Judy Mowatt's fine Only A Woman, and reaching virtually the same standard. Who Feels It Knows It was recorded in 1981. Bob gets credit as executive producer, although his health was probably too far gone by this time to be more than a distant advisor. Still, he contributes three of the album’s best songs, and for that, Give Thanks. The title song is one of Bunny

Wailer’s, typically sweet and understated, a little like Rita’s singing. She is generally restrained (probably a legacy of the years of backup singing in the 1-Threes), only letting go on the herb tribute 'One Draw’ and Bob’s totally disarming love song I'm Still Waiting’. But the album is mellow, warm and infectious, the work of an experienced reggae practitioner, a follower of Jah, and a black woman. In all three categories, Rita Anderson-Marley is a source of considerable pride. Duncan Campbell

Forward Various Artists

Greensleeves For those who have spent many a happy (and pricey) night with a yellow, green and red Greensleeves label spinning on their turntable, it’s a relief that EMI have picked up distribution rights to this enterprising little West London company. Greensleeves not only brings reggae to the large expatriate Jamaican community in Britain, but is also one of the most in-demand import labels of the last half-dozen years. The Forward compilation contains some of the label’s best singles from 1977 to 1982. You’ll have heard some of them spinning at better parties.

Kick off with Clint Eastwood and General Saint’s ’Another One Bites the Dust', the DJ duo tour de force by which others are judged. Hardly time to breathe and Eek-A-Mouse, who sings like a 'Chinese Jamaican Apache’, is intoning 'Wa-Do-Dem’, which he’s never really bettered. Papa Michigan and General Smiley pale alongside Eastwood and Saint, but their 'Diseases' is a classic riddim, now in its umpteenth version. Michael Prophet sobers things up with his edgy ‘Gunman’, but still makes the dance ram, and Ranking Dread’s ‘Fattie Boom Boom’ is another one of those übiquitous riddims handled with aplomb. Flip over, Rover, and Dr Alimantado, toaster-storyteller to the masses, sings a fairly straight 'Born For A Purpose’. There are tracks which better represent him. The late General Echo, another victim of violence, raises the rudeness quota with the scatalogical ’Bathroom Sex’, and the Wailing Souls harmonise and philosophise to their usual high standard on ‘War’. To wrap it up, Yellowman gives of his best with 'Getting Married’ and John Holt states his physical preferences on ‘Fat She Fat’. Buy of the month. Duncan Campbell

Rick Bryant and the Jive Bombers When I’m With You

Jayrem Initially this Jive Bombers' idea was only meant to be a diversion from the more serious ventures that the various members were involved in. But with the demise of the Neighbours earlier this year, this latest soul combo of Rick Bryant's took on a more permanent outlook, and with the release of When I'm With You and its inherent promise, the JBs would be fools to regard the band’s lifespan as merely play-time and temporary. For a start erase memories of the Neighbours' parting live shot,

Vocal at the Local, because the mixture of live covers and studio originals on When I'm With You Ipaves that sad affair for dead. Of the three self-penned studio tracks that open the album, Rick’s jaunty title number probably steals the honours, but keyboardist Tom Ludvigson’s 'Gotta Have It' features some neat slap bass playing from Alastair Dougal and as a song it’s well above the average. The live fare consists of six perceptively picked soul covers beginning with Bobby Bland's mighty fine 'I Wouldn’t Treat A Dog The Way You Treated Me’ which, unannounced on the album sleeve because it was meant to appear on the cassette

only, closes the first side. From there Rick tries to growl like James Brown on that baad man's 'Too Funky’, then it’s Ike Turner dance time with ‘Finger Poppin’ ’

which leads into a quite moving take of Otis Redding's ballad, 'Pain In My Heart’. The album closes with Sam and Dave's 'Wrap It Up' and a rousing return to Bobby Bland, this time to his early standard 'Love Night’. I know that this album may only go half-way to capturing a live Jive Bombers' night not only in energy but in precision and passion. But from where I'm dancing, half-way is more than enough. George Kay

Gordons Flying Nun Everything that could have been written about the Gordons' music already has white noise, layered wall of sound etc, etc. Anyone who has seen the Gordons knows what they sound like, love it 0r... Unfortunately, even a hardened Gordons fan like me has (niggling) doubts about album number 2. They tread a dangerous line of vicious uniqueness vs self-parody. That said, this album will still make your hands (at least) shake after more than two listenings. Check out 'Mono Flo', ‘Joker’ and 'Mentus Fugit’ on Side Two the Gordonoids have a technological vision that no-one else has come close to, and it becomes glaringly obvious that they have (ahem) something to say. Other good ones? 'Red Line', 'Quality Control' (yes, yes, studio altered as it is) and 'ldentity' (TV madness). Doubts? Lead rooms, rubber rooms too easy targets. But what the hell, this is Gordonoize, and still pretty damn good noise. Fiona Rae

Jermaine Jackson (Arista) It’s impossible to listen to Jermaine without thinking of Thriller (this decade's Sergeant Pepper). There are echoes of it everywhere, right on down to the sub-Quincy Jones production from Michael Omartian and the appearance of Michael himself on 'Tell Me I’m Not Dreamin’ ’, which is by far the best track. However, when Jermaine wants to sing sweet he beats the sunglasses off his brother, with ‘Take Good Care of My Heart’ and 'Do What You Do' being great love songs. It’s Jermaine’s voice that lifts the album even on something as stupid as 'Escape From the Planet of the Ant Men’ the voice just grabs you. I'm sure this album will do very well but I feel that Jermaine’s finest work is still 1980's glorious Let's Get Serious. The Time KB Ice Cream Castle (Warner Bros) Like their first album, What

Time Is It?, this is a scenic tour through Morris Day’s subconscious, a world where all the women wear camisoles and the men are cooler than a pink Cadillac with trgerskin seats. This is a projection of his Purple Rain persona, with touching ballads like ‘lf the Kid Can't Make You Come’ and an illustration of svelte seduction in 'Chilli Sauce’. The whole concept is best illustrated in a wild track called ‘My Drawers', a fine example of ego gratification. Morris also has time to worry about racial conflict on the low-key title track. A very different form of black music from downtown Minneapolis, full of rock influences and post-Hendrix guitars but still retaining a hard funk dance beat. Both 'Jungle Love’ and 'The Bird' deserve to be great hits and the album as a whole makes interesting listening. KB Every Great Motown Song Vol. 1 The Sixties (Motown) Vol. 2 The Seventies (Motown) Two Motown compilations the 60s album is as sublime as the 70s one is ridiculous. The former contains 14 obvious Motown goodies ('Reach Out’, 'My Girl’, 'Dancing In the Streets', 'Heatwave', 'Shop Around’, etc.) plus the added pleasure of a rarity, Kim Weston's 'Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me A Little While)'. Very fab essential for all music lovers. Motown had its moments in the late 70s, but few feature on this volume. There are 11 tracks, mainly MOR, including no less than four Diana Ross indulgences and three lesser Commodore tracks. Yawn. MC

The Skeptics Said See Say (Industrial, $7) A brief history of the Skeptics that’s quite fascinating in its variety from the youthful naievety of an early version of 'Murder', through the hints of pop-punk in 'Your Personality Makes Me Vomit’, the strangeness of ‘Enid Blyton’ and the ache of ‘Deth BE’. Not everything here is good but the best parts indicate

what makes the Skeptics special they work together in an organic way, you get the feeling that they almost don’t even have to talk about it. It would still probably be better to get the Chowder Over Wisconsin EP first, however. RB Sneaky Feelings (Industrial, $7) Yay! More melodies and jangly guitars from the Sneakies, recorded live at the Windsor Castle in June. All song previously unrecorded 'except 'Be My Friend’ (which sounds better than the single). The familiar 'Broken Man' and 'Sense of Loss’ start Side One, then ’The Strange and Conflicting Feelings of Separation and Betrayal’, which is fast and genuine and gets the song title of the year award. This side closes with Johnny Cash’s ’l’ve Been Flushed From the Bathroom of Your Heart'. Yeehah! Wish I'd been there for that. Side Two has four songs; 'Husband House’, 'Be My Friend’, 'Better Than Before' and 'Caught It Now’ the latter two being the stuff Sneaky Feelings classics are made out of. Ten songs for $7, and although the sound quality fluctuates (a little) the song quality doesn’t. A bargain. FR Various Artists An Anti-Nuclear Celebration (Last Laugh, $6) An admirable project from Last Laugh Studios, especially notable for the variety of music that has been brought together under the anti-nuclear banner, from Dead Image's authentic hard-core to the gentle folkiness of Luise Brandt and Pamela Gray’s 'Pakeha'. Sometimes the sentiments get a little cloying (as on 'Pakeha’) but overall this is a good representation of artistic dissent on a very important issue. My faves are Martial Law’s 'Phoenix’, Papakura Post Office’s ‘No Nukes' and, especially, Otis Mace and the Texas Cowboys with ‘Kill Them AIT. RB The Worst 81-84 (Portobello) Everything you always wanted

to know about the Worst but never knew to ask. The Worst were apparently the first musical unit in this Portobello Tapes thing and, true to Portobello standards, the packaging is great. Not only do you get a book with the band’s history and lots of snapshots but there's even a comb and piece of paper provided so you can hum along with your favorite songs. Not all the 35 "songs” are easy to listen to but some are neat and it's interesting to hear the band’s evolution and the divergence that broke it up. The best tracks are the ones where senses of humour are unleashed, I think, so some of the later stuff gets on top of me a little. Buy yourself a band today! The Kites RB Umbiblical Chords (23 Carnavorn St, Dunedin, $5) It’s funny to think that there are people you never hear of, working away at music, and creating damn good music in their lounges and bedrooms. I mean, have you heard of Harold S. Bernhardt and Anthony W. Takens? They actually turned up as the Forced Cup on Ima Cassette Thing last year and this is similar stuff understated, mostly acoustic songs with hints of Syd Barrett (still) and Leonard Cohen. Lots of songs and a lyric sheet the pair manage to tie melody and emotion with a sense of humour and things only get

wobbly occasionally, but they can be forgiven that. Wanna be the first on your block with a Kites tape? RB The Normal Ambition. (Industrial, $7) All tracks here are recorded live, although the first three were done in Harlequin Studios. The studio songs are amazingly slick for two-track recordings but are outshone by the real live tracks. The Normal Ambition create strong melodies and there’s some bloody good singing but I have reservations: this band could either sink into a derivative nightmare or become a VERY powerful live band. Standout tracks are ’Too White', 'The Same Mistake’ and 'Bless My Soul’. Interesting stuff. FR David Appleton The Truth That Leads To Eternal Life (Rites, $5) David goes to Palmerston North, discovers omnipresent being which leaves him 'bummed to death' and puts this tape together in a weekend. What can I say except his transcription of the religious experience veers crazily from ridlime to subliculous. If ya know what I mean. Some of this stuff is really good, some ain’t. You can’t review stuff like this, just listen to it. CK Rising From the Ashes (Rites, $5)

Rites has had some very good releases lately and this is no letdown. Four new NZ bands are featured: Five Year Mission, from Napier sparkle with tracks like 'UFO', roughly recorded but great nonetheless, while Auckland’s K 4 deliver the sprightly 'Brothers Of the Head' and three other stirring tracks. Side Two" has the now defunct Corrective Training, who need an energy boost, their droning sound becomes a bit tiresome. Rex the Fiish, however, have a wonderfully fresh feel with great guitar sound and female vocalist. A worthwhile compilation, introducing bands who deserve the exposure Vicious Circle Foolish Ideas (Rites) Cold Chisel, Men At Work, Angels bastions of boredom we associate with Australian music. Sure, there was the Saints and the Birthday Party but they’re long gone and knowledge of exciting new Oz bands is sadly lacking. So what’s happening there, you ask? Melbourne's Vicious Circle are happening friend, the fastest rising punk band across the Tasman, delivering speedy doses of healthy anger, commonsense politics and committment. Get this and there’s a chance we’ll see them here soon. Neil Cartwright