Picks for ’86 The Year's Best

Rip It Up, Issue 114, 1 January 1987, Page 2

Picks for ’B6 The Year's Best

CHRIS BOURKE ALBUMS • King of America, the Costello Show: The king is dead. Long live the king. Now, where’s Blood and Chocolate? • Poguetry in Motion EP, the Pogues: Full of spirit and taste, Guinness breeds genius. • Gossip, Paul Kelly: When the Beatles visited Adelaide, 350,000 people turned out. Among them was Paul Kelly, a quiet achiever of Don Bradman’s status. • Storms of Life, Randy Travis: Dwight Yoakam has the tight pants and dance rhythms, George Strait the pure voice; both their ’B6 albums are essential, but Randy Travis is country’s greatest new talent... if only he’d cheer up! • He is the Light, Al Green: Would you buy a used religion from this man? Yes, indeed! Silky soul, spiritual ... and sexy. SINGLES • ‘Kiss’: An aching falsetto over minimalist funk — Prince learns what to leave out. • ‘Walk this Way7‘Slice of Heaven’: Brilliantly conceived crossovers, infectious, charming and funny ... plus the guitar of Keith Richards. • ‘Ballad of Buckskin Bob’: Lez White and lan Morris restore wit to the NZ single; Tex Pistol outdraws Trevor Horn and the Johnnys. • ‘Cutting Edge’/'l Love My Leather Jacket’: From Low Profile and the Chills, seamless sounds, simple melodies, complex results. • ‘You Oughta Be in Love’, Dave Dobbyn: Choke back the tears for the great romantic’s finest hour. MIXED MEDIA • The Video Dispute: In the battle of the executive ego, who loses? The music lover. • Beware of gooks bearing gifts: The corporate sceptre casts its shadow over music.

Result — “play something we know!” ' , • Live Highs: Shriekback, the Saints, Herbs, Ardijah, Crowded House • Video Highs: Repo Man, This is Elvis, Spinal Tap, Peewee’s Big Adventure. • Thanks for the Memories: Essential collections — Atlantic R&B 1947-74, Chuck Berry The Great 28, Sam Cooke The Man and his Music, Buddy Holly Legend, Aretha Franklin 30 Greatest Hits. RUSSELL BROWN ALBUMS • Lifes Rich Pageant, REM: Makes much of their previous stuff seem half-assed, which is saying something. • Rough and Rugged, Shinehead: He calls it reggae, but there’s a flash of everything here. As the sleeve says, “A young man slightly ahead of his time.” • ‘lnto the Groovy,’ Ciccone/Sonic Youth: NY cool never dies. This single will make you love Madonna like the Youth do. Evol was fab too. • Best of the Saints, the Saints: There were times when the only thing to do was close the shutters, lower the ceiling and lay on Best of the Saints. • Parade, Prince: Not bad for a film soundtrack, eh? • Also: the Jean-Paul Sartre, Headless Chickens, Goblin Mix, Verlaines discs; Age of Chance ‘King,’ Run DMC ‘Walk this Way,’ the Saints All Fools Day; Outnumbered by Sheep; Chills Kaleidoscope. World; Battling Strings ‘lf I Do;’ Madonna ‘Open Your Heart.’ LIVE Prince, the Fall, Wire, Headless Chickens, Go Betweens, Nico, Suicide, Creepers, Jesus and Mary Chain, Mekons, Replacements.

KERRY BUCHANAN BEST OF SOUND ... • A Date with Elvis, the Cramps: Great big hunk of burning love from Lux, Ivy and Nick. Rock and roll that asks the question ‘What’s Inside a Girl?’ and answers it with ‘Can Your Pussy Do the Dog?’ • Guitars, Cadillacs, etc, etc, Dwight Yoakam: Every track a killer, with the laconic ‘lt Won’t Hurt’ and the cover of Johnny Horton’s ‘Honky Tonk Man’ being juke joint classics. • Raising Hell, Run DMC: This is real hard core; the percussion breaks in ‘Perfection,’ the urgency of ‘Proud to be Black,’ the metal of ‘Raising Hell.’ A triumphant kick at that flabby thing called white pop music. • Radio, LL Cool J: The selfstyled “Amigo with an Ego” with a batch of nasty rhymes that search and destroy. High on the hit meter are ‘Rock the Bells’ and ‘You Can’t Dance.’ • Schoolly D: Most of this is evil, with the homage to his old gang the Park Side Killers and loads of references to B-Boy essentials, like 14K gold, Gucci watches and Fila sneakers. Punk rock that cuts through, the music sounds like gunfire and Schoolly D raps heavy and deadly. Essential. ... AND VISION • I Like to Hurt People: A wrestling flick about the evil sheik and those who want to stop him, including Dick the Bruiser, Andre the Giant and Dusty Rhodes the American Dream. Best moments of violence involve the wonderful Abdullah the Butcher. • Wrestlemania: Three hours of top-flight mat action, with the highlights being King Kong Bundy’s Splash, the tag team belt going to the evil Russian Ivan Koloff and the Iranian strong man, the Iron Sheik. The rise of a true star in Brutus Beefcake. • New Wave Hookers: A surrealist porn movie from the Dark Brothers, starring Jamie Cullias as a Mexican-Japanese and a guy who thinks he’s a dog. Music from tfie Plugz, and of course Ginger Lyn makes an appearance. • Remo — Armed and Dangerous: Based on the

books by Sapir and Murphy, the film tones down the violence and right wing paranoia but still packs a punch. Contains the best Doberman dog sequence ever. MURRAY CAMMICK 10 FINEST FUNKY 12” SINGLES (Released in NZ in 1986!) • Atlantic Starr, ‘Freak-A-Ristic’ (A&M) • Ardijah, ‘Your Love is Blind’ (Pagan) • Prince ‘Kiss’ (Warners) • I’m Talking ‘Holy Word’ (Regular) • Sylvester ‘Living for the City’ (Warners) • Millie Scott ‘Prisoner of Love’ (4th & Broadway) • George Clinton ‘Do Fries Go With that Shake’ (Capitol) • Ruby Turner ‘Come Go With Me’ (Jive) • Dazz Band ‘Let it Whip’ (Motown reissue) • Chaka Khan ‘Love of a Lifetime’ (Warners) DUNCAN CAMPBELL ALBUMS • The Mystery Unfolds, Mutabaruka: ‘‘l am just a voice. Listen carefully and you will hear yourself." • Culture at Work, Culture: A return to top form which testifies to the ageless quality of Roots music. • Battle of Armagideon, Lee “Scratch” Perry: A conquering lion who never ceases to fascinate. • Women Talk, Various Artists: The Carribean’s female dub poets get some long overdue exposure. • Rising Sun, Augustus Pablo: Reggae’s Mozart with another selection of exquisite melodies. MISCELLANY • Singles: ‘Slice of Heaven’ (DD — ya rool, mon!), ‘You Can Call Me Al,’ ‘Greetings.’ • Portable Essentials: Miles Davis Tutu, Husker Du Candy Apple Grey. • Unhealthiest Place in the World: LA International Airport. • Buzz of the Year: Sunsplash (what else?). • Wish for ’B7: That all the greedy scumbags who think this living planet was created for mineral exploitation have

large spikes driven into them and see how they like it. KERRY DOOLE TEN BEST RECORDS (alphabetical order) • Elvis Costello, Blood and Chocolate • Elvis Costello, King of America • Hunters and Collectors, Human Frailty • Jason and the Scorchers, Still Standing • Long Ryders, State of Our Union • REM, Lifes Rich Pageant • Screaming Blue Messiahs, Gun Shy • Shriekback, Big Night Music • True Believers, True Believers • Dwight Yoakam, Guitars, Cadillacs, etc, etc WORST RECORD • Cyndi Lauper, True Colours BEST CONCERT • Jason and the Scorchers, Nashville GEOFF DUNN TOP TEN FOR ’B6 • The Ultimate Sin, Ozzy Osbourne: Dazzling return of Ozzy with blistering guitar work from Jake. • Eat ’em and Smile, David Lee Roth: Wilder than ever. Good stuff. • 5150, Van Halen: A top class rock album. • Jimi Plays Monterey, Jimi Hendrix: Digital remastering of the historic ’67 performance. • Done With Mirrors, Aerosmith: Their ‘Walk This Way’ goes No 1 and this still didn’t get released here! • So, Peter Gabriel: A fine collection of new songs. • Constrictor, Alice Cooper: Yes, he’s back, in full force. Out for the Count, Knightshade: Nice to hear such a good local production. • The Sweet — June concerts: Some great nights of live hard rock. • Roy Harper — His Majesty’s, March 26: A weird and wonderful evening. PETER GRACE FILM • Texas Chainsaw Massacre II SINGLES: • Prince, ‘Kiss’ (WEA)

• Billy Idol, ‘To Be A Lover’ (Festival) • Janet Jackson, ‘When I Think of You’ (Epic) • Fresh Gordon and the Jazz, ‘My Fila’ (Tommy Boy) • Starpoint, ‘What You Been Missin’ • Beastie Boys, Tm Down’ (unreleased) ALBUMS • Raising Hell, Run DMC (Profile) • Licensed to 111, the Beastie Boys (Def Jam) BOOK • Money, Martin Amis (Penguin) GEORGE KAY TOP 5 ALBUMS • King of America, Elvis Costello: MacManus makes a comeback. • Candy Apple Grey, Husker Du: Not Mom's Apple Pie but sure as hell the best in the Big Apple. • Liberty Bell and the Black Diamond Express, Go Betweens: No smart-ass one liners here; simple a beautiful album. • Manic Pop Thrill, That Petrol Emotion: O’Neills’ try to depopularise their Undertones roots on an album more admirable than likeable. • Lifes Rich Pageant, REM: Typically patchy and Stipe is still in the Emperor’s new clothes but the highs are gorgeous. SINGLES • Best NZ Songs: ‘No Reason to Hide,’ the Orange; ‘Here’s to the Other Side,’ the Sneaky Feelings. • Best Single: ‘Running Out of Time,’ the Mighty Lemon Drops. • Best Live Album(s): Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band/Live 1975-85 • Best Re-issue: Atlantic Rhythm & Blues 1947-74 • Best Manic Sports Thrill: Russia vrs Belgium, World Cup 'B6. PAUL McKESSAR FIVE LPS • Lou Reed, Mistrial • REM, Lifes Rich Pageant • Saints, All Fools’ Day • Go Betweens, Liberty Belle • Redskins, Neither Washington nor Moscow...

PAUL McKESSAR FIVE LIVE • Residents • Violent Femmes (and Psychic Pet Healers!) • Saints • Go Betweens • Goblin Mix FIVE ODDITIES • Jazz Butcher, Bloody Nonesense • Topper Headon, Waking Up • Stan Ridgeway, Big Heat • Shriekback, being Shriekback ... • Pere Übu, Terminal Tower FIVE NUNS • Chills, ‘Leather Jacket’ • Jean Paul Sartre Experience EP • Alpaca Brothers EP • Bats, ‘Made Up in Blue’ • Look Blue Go Purple EP THE BADDIES Big business, for buying out NZ rock music and for saving itself sponsorship money by selling share bonds in its own advertisements to the little people. FIONA RAE RECORDS • Jean-Paul Sartre Experience EP • King of America, Elvis Costello • Stop, Look and Listen, Patsy Cline • VU, Velvet Underground • ‘Halloween’ and ‘Star Power,’ Sonic Youth LIVE • Festival of Women Performers, Wellington • John Cale, Chris Knox, Gluepot • Nico, Gluepot • Volcanic Productions’ women’s gigs, Gluepot • Campus Radio CHAD TAYLOR LPs • Language Barrier, Sly and Robbie: Ridiculously capable. Is there any genre from which they can’t steal? • Parade, Prince and the Revolution: Confused and endearing. Love the finger-cymbals. • Neon Moon, Jay Wobble and Ollie Marland: Slinky dub with excellent vocals — Suzette Newman and co, take a bow. • Illustrated Musical

Encyclopaedia, Ryuichi Sakamoto: Warm, colourful and positive — the perfect night-cap. • The Final, Wham!: Where are their rightful heirs? And where did I leave my martini? 45s • ‘Close to Me,’ the Cure: Robert goes back into the closet and sock! Another classic. • ‘Leather Jacket,’ the Chills: Chugs along nice, dunnit? • ‘Sinful’ b/w ‘I Want the Moon, Mother,’ Pete Wylie: Tragi-comic heroics and two great tunes. • ‘lf You’re Ready (Come and Get Me),’ Ruby Turner: An affectionate punch. • ‘Rise,’ PIL: Id even buy it but I can’t tell which one it is ... PETER THOMSON ALBUMS OF THE YEAR • Debut of Year: Suzanne Vega. In which she proves that arty, introspective, urban folk music can still be valid in the mid-80s. • Re-issue or Compilation of Year: Atlantic Rhythm & Blues 1947-74. A 14-record history lesson that sings, sways, shouts and dances. AND NOW for three acts we thought were past until they up and presented their best albums in well over a decade: • Paul Simon, Graceland: His craft enlivened by the mbaqanga musicians of black South Africa. A partnership of joy and dignity, without exploitation. • Temptations, Touch Me: The greatest soul vocal group of all time can also write and produce for themselves with astonishing success. • Jackson Browne, Lives in the Balance: A pretender no longer, Browne hits hard with the year’s most powerful lyrics (all written before either Chernobyl or the Iranscam); terrific tunes too. THE MOVIE MUSIC AWARDS • The best music didn’t get on the soundtrack (but it did make the CD): In what unfortunately seems likely to become a permanent category, Gil Evans wins for his contributions to Absolute Beginners. • The best music movie with

the shortest local season: Sweet Dreams, the fine biopic of Patsy Cline which received precisely one screening in the whole of Auckland. • The best documentary movie (with accompanying live album): Sting’s Bring on the Night. • Most evocative film theme: A guitarist wins again (last year’s was Mark Knopfler for Cal). Ry Cooder for Alamo Bay.