NEW ZEALAND SINGLES

Rip It Up, Issue 211, 1 March 1995, Page 38

NEW ZEALAND SINGLES

IMAREE SHEEHAN Past To The Present CD Single (Roadshow) ‘Past To The Present' kicks off with a melody that sounds suspiciously like lipper Hutt Posse’s ‘Ragga Girls’, before settling into a bright and bass heavy dance tune. There's four versions here, English and Maori language, plus dance and extended mixes. Unremarkable but certainly not unlistenable. IRUIA APERAHAMA Ka Tangi te Tiitii Ka Tangi te Kaakaa CD Single (Tangata) A weird one this, written and recorded to celebrate Maori Language Year, but it has this distinct, up-tempo Kantuta feel about it. On ‘One September Morning’, Ruia sings the story of TW Ratana’s world expedition over a broken drum pattern, soaring guitar and vocal beatbox. I PUMPKINHEAD I Like CD Single (Wildside) ‘I Like’, an ode to vegetables, Shortland Street and marijuana (amongst other things), represents the heavy riffing, repetitive side of Pumpkinhead that is not my choice. The equally impacting, but more melodically appealing, ‘Lights Are Out’ pushes Brent Mulligan’s vocals out front, and this is the tactic that works best. ‘Decaf’, the menacing third track, shifts into industrial territory, with a guitar assault that again swamps any semblance of a tune. I CHRIS KNOX One Fell Swoop CD Single (Flying Nun) When song four, the noisefest of ‘Shrapnel’, comes on the radio I have to switch stations ‘cause it’s so utterly dire, in total contrast to the unashamed beauty of ‘One Fell Swoop’. A simple but effective guitar melody lies under the purest of Knox vocals, interspersed with occasional bursts of fuzzbox. He’s still got it. Next up is the pacey ‘Giving Her Away’, and finally, desperate and pleading renditions of Abba’s ‘SOS’ and Lennon’s ‘Mother.’ ID-FACTION First Cut Is The Deepest CD Single (Southside) Four versions of a very 80s sounding reggae rendition of Cat Stevens’ ‘First Cut Is The Deepest’ feature within. Sugar-coated to the extreme, the Maximum Vocal Mix leaps out of the stew as the most pleasing. I MR ME Rush Me Colour Cassette EP (Spasim) Christchurch’s Mr Me have come up with four new tracks plus a remastered version of their first siqgle ‘Fireman.’ Overall, more jangly, polite, smiley-pop without an edge or spark to draw attention to itself. However, the female backing vocalist featured on the title track can hold a tune — perhaps a switch in positions may help. I TRUCK Cassette (Ratshitrecordings) Tuneless punk metal-for-noise-sake from Nelson, and why not? Quite possibly devoid of any musical ability whatsoever (and proud of it), Truck know that rock ’n’ roll doesn’t give a shit — so they don’t either.

JOHN RUSSELL