NZ SINGLES

Rip It Up, Issue 237, 1 May 1997, Page 31

NZ SINGLES

EXPONENTS One In A Lifetime CD Single (Sony) The Exponents get yet another life courtesy of the folks at Sony Music, after . Warner Brothers milked them for the big-selling hits collec- ■ tion, Once Bitten Twice Bitten, then kissed the lads goodbye. The first offering as a result of Jordan and co.’s new deal is ‘One In A Lifetime’, a plodding, barely memorable, wannabe , anthem that shows no deviation from the Exponents ■ well-worn recipe for a pop tune; cutesy verses and a chorus sprinkled with power chords — a combination that on this occasion carries no ability to excite. More affecting by far is the reflective, Luck-penned piano ballad, ‘Come And Go’, followed by the closer, the old school rawker ‘lnfinity’. . DECAYDANCE Decaydance CD EP (Big Picture) ■ . Nelson’s Decaydance describe themselves as “pioneers of Physcadelic [sic] grooves”, but in no way are they simply a bunch of Syd Barrett-worshipping stoners. There’s pleasing tunes on their debut seven-song EP, especially the spacey pop of ‘But It’s Hard’, and the hypnotic ska/dub of ‘Defence Budget’. The leapfrogging guitar noodlings of ‘6 Were 7’ become something of an endurance test, but there’s a treat to follow, namely the upbeat ska finale of ‘Free’. .Write to 159 Washington Rd, Nelson.

. BALANCE Foundation Cassingle (Piecemeal) The sound quality is as rough as guts, but the energy’s all here on the new tape from Auckland hardcore stalwarts, Balance. ‘Foundation’ takes the identical four-on- . the-floor approach to hardcore as perpetrated by the longdefunct AK band Salad Daze, ; \ while b-sides, ‘This Is What You Wanted’ and ‘Blind’, are two snappy blasts of classic DC-style hardcore. Write to PO Box 5138, Wellesley Street, Auckland. VARIOUS Regional Finals: Not So Quiet On The New Plymouth Front Seven Inch Single (Truly Fine Citizen) As famous for its hard drugs as its hard rock, out of New Plymouth comes this three band sampler featuring Schizophrenia, Kitsch, and Subkultchur. The former kick off with the surprisingly ■' catchy, rollicking, ‘lrish Punk Dance’, track two is a tinny sounding recording of the ;/,s> thrashy.tune ‘Gill Street’, by > Kitsch, that comes to end prematurely — the needle (sorry, stylus) runs right into the paper label — and last up, Subkultchur drop a direction-ally-challenged slice of edgy, lightweight metal that far overstays its welcome. Write to PO Box 407, New Plymouth. k - JOHN RUSSELL

JAWLOAD Gimp Seven Inch Single (Kato) JAWLOAD Stigma Seven Inch Single (Kato) Remember the explanation for strange goings on in Wild at Heart. “Makin’ pornographic movies - Texas style”? Well - these singles evoke the same feeling. Sure everything’s wholesome and hearty; the 7” being the most innocent of musical formats (Sun sessions), but Jawload ain’t no Connie Francis and they’ve shredded these slices of black plastic into something as dirty as week-old bath water, and as sleaze-soaked as a whore on St. Patrick’s day. All sizzle, speed and don’t open ya eyes ‘till after dark. Both ‘Gimp’ and ‘Stigma’ are grinding high octane rides; Andrew Tolley’s mumble is less of a focus more of a blend as the songs rattle and rock. There are pauses when the guitars lurch, but not for long enough to catch your breath before they’re off again. The breaks, and the flow never feels calculated, rather it changes gear, not really altering speed, but changing is a more subliminal way. ‘Nothing To Say’ is less nonchalant and more ‘verge of a nervous breakdown’, and still makes you feel like you wanna take off school and head to the pool hall. Write to PO Box 11 672, Manners Street, Wellington.

JESSE GARON