NZ

Rip It Up, Issue 173, 1 December 1991, Page 37

NZ

DAVE DOBBYN Shaky Isles : 4-song CD (WEA) We cringed when Tim Finnsang - ‘Pari Haka' posing in front of a Colin McCahon painting flanked by members of Herbs before flying back afew days later to his jet-set life in London, but somehow when ex-pat Dave Dobbyn sings tearfully about the Motherland we believe him. ‘Shaky Isles"is quite a forceful anthem in its own right, and is here presented in two identical mixes. The other two songs, ‘Overentertained’ and ‘Memorial Greenhouse’ are awash with nostalgia (the latter song is set in the Domain) and feature the applause of NZ audiences from the August tour, that's how nostalgic Dave gets. He tells a good yarn, his voice is easy on the ears and he picks a pert guitar. He's the poet laureate of NZ pop and we like him even if he does live over there. - RUMBLEFISH ‘ Pull Up to The Bumper (Wildside) B This has been a long fime coming, longer than it takes Dave to hit those high notes properly, but it still smells fresh as a daisy. The old Grace Jones classic rips — Rumblefish have pulled it apart, speeded it up and added killer guitar bite. B-side ‘Funk Off' is pretty good too, not as original as the ‘Pull Up'treatment, too Chili Peppery for my taste, but once again the boys prove they know how to mess with tempos. - Who knows what musical quarter they'll rumble nexte JAY CLARKSON Memory Lane / Big Life (Tall Poppy) : Jay Clarkson of Breathing Cage fame debuts on Tall Poppy with a couple of dreamy tracks. Sort of sad and reflective, sort of Chrissie Hynde sings Kate Bush — the sound of crystals chiming in a summer breeze, celestial sting. MC OJ AND RHYTHM SLAVE Money Worries (Southside) Top track from the bratty duo who brought us the ones about marijuana and girls. Now they tackle the thing that makes the world go round, propelled by a wicked warble sample from Mikey Push Push Havoc which makes this song go round with a vengeance. : | MIDGE MARSDEN Stranger’s Girl (Sony) A pretty, wimpy ballad of the type that crowds the Top 40, classic rock of the 90s, well produced, well sung, could be a hit. The B-side is livelier, an R&B stomper called ‘Struck Down By The Blues’, Midge is on more convincing ground here. Still, two highly polished tracks from a great all-rounder. UPPER HUTT POSSE ; Stormy Weather (Southside) They're back! With a re-mixed version of one of their finest songs. Now the slow drift of the song has . been given a funkier beat while keeping the chorus cruisy — a painless, even pleasurable, way to absorb the Posse’s world peace message. The B-side is an “ambient” dub mix by Mike Tinnitus’ Hodgson for those who prefer the music without the message.

WILLIE HONA Keep An Open Heart (Festival( Sweet reggae lullaby from one of Herbs ex-frontmen. Hard to fault the advice (“Keep an open heart”, “Be honest from the start”), hardto complain about the music either — this song is downright easy on the ears (but not so easy that you don’t want to listen to it). SALAD DAZE 4-Track Single (Sting Records) Auckland’s determinedly up-and-coming “hardcore” enthusiasts Salad Daze impress with their second independent EP single, four tracks — hard, fast and tight. They’re obviously getting very good at what they do, how much you like this will depend on what American hardcore does for you. Out on delicious emerald green vinyl. HALLELUJAH PICASSOS No More : (Pagan) : Debut single from the HPs ’ showcases their sweet, sensitive side in a lilting ska number that proves just how light their touch can be when they're not shouting ‘muthafuckal’. - They get up to old tricks on the B-side ‘Marshall Law Dub’, which means that fans of their demonic thrash side can expect to be catered to next time, DONNA YUZWALK