Australia/NZ
Singles Reviews A-D
Australian 45s A - D
Australian 45s E - L
Australian 45s M - S
TALL
TALES AND TRUE
Wasted Life/Good Heart Gone Bad (Survival)
I thought I had a winner in "Wasted Life" when the bass line started at the
beginning, but two more measures in a pile of cello fell on top of the thing and although
it still manages to be a pretty punchy song, it would do a whole lot better without the
chamber music bits. The vocal bits on the chorus are really cool, and the energy level
stays up throughout. The flip is acoustic girl-has-left me stuff and not worth 2 listens
(not really worth one).
DENIZ
TEK
100 Fools/Alien Skies (Citadel)
The former lead guitarist/master songwriter for Radio Birdman did the A-side with some
friends in Texas in 1981, and it really isn't all that great a song or performance. Tek
manages to do a fairly good Rob Younger vocal imitation so he at least sounds somewhat
like the Birdmen anyway. The flip is an outtake from the Livin' Eyes sessions that
never got a vocal track added to it. It has a strong far-eastern arrangement to it (the
sort of thing you'd charm king cobras to), but as I had Ortho in last year we haven't been
having problems with snakes lately, so I don't play this one too much, either.
THRUST
Getting Closer/Just Kick It (no label)
Thrust have lost their bass player and one guitar player from the days of their super
mini-lp on Grown Up Wrong a while back, and it seems to have hurt them quite a bit;
there's no where near as full on a sound anymore. Part of this is also due to the
recording quality and possibly the mastering of the record as well; it all sounds pretty
muddy and subdued. Too bad, because on the mini-lp they were sounding like contenders in
the same arena as bands like the Hard-Ons, Hellmenn and Asylum, but they've lost a lot of
ground with this release.
LOUIS
TILLET AND THE ASPERSION CASTE
Condemned To Live/Midnight Witch (Festival)
Tillet was the main guy in the Wet Taxis, a piano-based band who put out some pretty hot
singles in their day. This is a sample of his new lp, and it includes New Christs guitar
player Charlie Owen. "Condemned" sounds a lot like some of the slower, crunchier
New Christs stuff from Distemper. Tillet's voice has a definite Jim Morrison sound,
and with lyrics as powerful as he's written on the A side he packs a hellacious punch.
It's a knockout blast against racism that just drips with sarcasm. Killer stuff. The flip,
with horn charts (one of the Wet Taxis trademarks, too) will really recall the Doors since
the music matches the vocals.
TOYS
WENT BERSERK
Don't Run Away/Guns At My Head (Aberrant )
Another super Aberrant band. Toys Went Berserk apparently get compared to Siouxie and The
Banshees a lot and don't like it, but the vocals and the general approach of the band do
make the comparison pretty fair. However, where the Banshees have tended to flip flop
between the obvious pop of most of their singles' A sides and a lot of over the top artsy
fartsy stuff, Toys Went Berserk are more consistent in maintaining an intriguing, yet
entertaining approach. "Guns" gets the nod for best track here, with a great
pummeling drum beat and some hyper edgy guitars to go with intense vocals that sound like
something Lieutenant Calley might have thought up after My Lai. "Don't Run Away"
has a slower beginning that builds up to a tenser middle part. Neither track is as good as
the fabulous "One Day My Head Is Gonna Explode" from the Trousers In Action 4
track ep (which also includes tracks by feedtime and Examplehead) but still is well worth
looking into. Gossip column: the drummer Mark Nicholson was in Happy Hate Me Nots through
their first single.
TOYS WENT BERSERK
No Warning/Inseparable (Aberrant)
These out of control playthings always dish up something worth hearing, and this one's no
exception. The contrast between Coo's super smooth and in-control vocals and the charging
music in the background on "No Warning" makes for a really tense listening
experience. There's lots of loud ringing guitar and pummeling drumwork, and a definite
non-pop feel. "Inseparable" rushes about even harder but whereas "No
Warning" never takes a wrong turn in all its changes, "Inseparable" sounds
a little awkward in spots. Still, both tracks are dynamic and inventive, and although
you'll be tempted to think of Siouxie when you first hear Coo's voice, this band has a
sound that doesn't yield to easy comparisons.
TOYS WENT BERSERK
Forever and A Day/Something Better (Aberrant)
Another late arrival...not quite the rampaging thing that "No Warning" was, but
still a fairly energetic workout. "Forever" tells a strange story about a man
whose best friend is a little girl in a playground, but by the end of the song something
has gone vaguely wrong. The flip is unrequited love type stuff. As always, the contrast
between Coo's ultrasmooth feminine vocals and the tension of the band is the main thing
these songs have going for them, but the music seems to be downplayed a little on this
compared to the "No Warning" single, which makes that one a stronger choice.
Great sleeve artwork!
TOYS WENT BERSERK
Brand New Life/Stairway To Heaven (Aberrant)
"Brand New Life" is one of two fabulous songs from their Smiler With A Knife
lp that make an obvious A side (the other being "Worlds Away"). Coo's rich
vocals form a beautiful counterpoint to the bludgeoning drums and bass, and the thick
guitar chording makes this song rock away with some real power. The flip was done for a
Sydney TV show that Bruce Aberrant works for which includes a segment with a different
band covering "Stairway To Heaven" each week. This is Toys shot, and needless to
say, they make a somewhat different sound from the Lead Balloonists. Basically it's a
whole new tune with a murderous drum assault by Mark Nicholson. If they'd put their own
words to it, it would have been brilliant; as it is it has a novelty feel to it that
doesn't wear too well, but it's still a lot of fun the first couple times through.
TOYS WENT BERSERK
Wheels In Motion/Spot (Aberrant)
This one's more poppy than their previous stuff which always used to build a strong sense
of tension; the feel here is more upbeat and light hearted. A lot of this is production,
which is much brighter and lighter so that the drums sound sharper and not so heavy as
before and the bass is mixed back more. It's a pretty good song, too, but not quite as
compelling as "World's Away" from their last lp. The instrumental flip starts
with a slow, moody bit and then charges into one of Mark Nicholson's great drum workouts.
It then breaks down for a couple bars and revs back up and fades out. Sounds like a piece
of music they liked but couldn't figure out how to write words to, but it's come out fine
as is. (There is also a Toys Went Berserk track on a Bob flexi single
and another on the Trousers In Action ep.)
THE TRILOBITES
Venus In Leather/Amphetamine Dream (Citadel)
American TV/Legacy Of Morons (Citadel)
Night Of The Many Deaths/Living By A Different Yardstick (Big Time)
The Trilobites have a problem getting their live sound on record, and it’s mainly due
to the vocals. In their shows they seem almost like a punk band, with an incredible amount
of energy and raw vocals, and they have no problem getting the punters to pogo wildly to
their music. But the records have more of a straight rock feel to them, although they are
still a lot of fun. Mike Dalton's vocals sound a little too cabaret-like on some of their
recorded stuff, but otherwise, there's no faulting the quality of the songs; none of these
six are not at least quite good. The Trilobites have a massive guitar sound with huge
power chords shimmering out of every song. "American TV" is a great piece of
cultural exchange with a ripping fast pace, complaining about the overwhelming presence of
American influence on the Australian media. "Legacy Of Morons" about the foolish
concept of nuclear "defense" is absolutely smashing, with great lyrics about
Armand Hammer watching the first A-bomb explode and feeling like he rules the world. The
two cuts on the third single have the best tunes of the three singles, but the lyrics are
not so readily deciphered and don't hit as hard as "Morons". The first single,
though good by most standards, is clearly a warm up for the subsequent 45s.
THE TRILOBITES
Jenny's Wake/I Can See (Waterfront)
Behind one of the more unsightly sleeves in a while, under the usual blistering power
chords, Mike Dalton is singing the bizarre story of Jenny, whose body is found in a lake,
leading to a funeral with "enough food to sink the Lusitania". There's a hell of
a weird story behind this song, and someday we'll find out what it's all about. Meantime,
I'll have to content you with the fact that although it isn't as strong as "Night Of
The Many Deaths" or "American TV", their last two singles, it still has all
the trademark Trilobites power guitar and doesn't let up on the energy. Where's the lp?
THE TRILOBITES
Fuck=Love/Little Death/Legacy Of Morons (remix) (rooArt)
Not a proper single as it's on 12 inches, but we'll pretend. "Fuck=Love" is a
major production deal that probably would have been better with less fuss, but is still
fun. As usual, Mike Dalton gets to the heart of the matter lyrically and doesn't pull
punches; both the first two tracks pretty much cover the same ground; dynamiting the
stereotypical love song. Musically there's still lots of big powerchords, but there's a
lot of Bon Jovi-esque touches on the A-side that I'm not so sure about. The remix of
"Legacy" is the real interesting track...this was always one of their two best
songs, but what they've done to it here is totally weird...it's like some massive dub/acid
house type of mix, except it's got so much more going on in it than your average rap work
out that you can not only stand to listen to it, but it's actually really good. The lyrics
are a little dated with the Reagan/Gorbachev confrontation bit, although the nukes are
still there. Overall, I prefer less production, but the songs are still there.
THE TRILOBITES
Minibar Of Oblivion/Attack Of The Yes Men (rooArt)
These guys have presumably come to a shameful end by now; while I was in Sydney they were
advertising for a new singer since Mike Dalton had left, and he was the one that made
Trilobites' songs interesting; a real knack for a bizarre lyric. (This one opens:
"The day was a pig so I decided to cut loose!") Their hookup to rooArt seemed to
have really killed them as far as recording goes; the production just got too high gloss,
mainly in the ultra heavy "ah-ah" choruses. But the A side of this was one of
two great songs from the rooArt lp (the other being "The Girl From Mossad"), and
the flip is non lp. If you can survive the overwrought backing vocals, you'll detect some
loud and ringing guitar chords and Dalton's unsupported voice is in good form. The flip is
non-lp and better than most of what's on it. Neither matches the early Citadel singles,
but there's still plenty on these two tracks that good can be said about.
THE TRILOBITES
New Head/Savage Mood Swing (rooArt)
On the other hand, here's a single of evidence of everything that was wrong with the
Trilobites at the end; a fairly bloated piece of arena rock stuff with a bad, decaying
odor about it. The flip is a kind of odd sampler from the lp recorded by playing the
record and scraping the needle across the tracks for a couple bars of each song...pretty
stupid except as advertisement and hardly the sort of thing to listen to more than once,
if that.
THE TRILOBITES
Don't Hide/Tear You Apart (Citadel)
The Trilobites rode a long time with me on the strength of their first couple singles, but
their stock is papering my walls now and they've got to earn respect once more. New singer
Gary Slater (ex-Voodoo Lust) is less bombastic than Mike Dalton but he's also more
colorless and with him the Trilobites tend to lose what character they once had...they
don't have the clever lyrics that could hold my attention even when the production was
horrible. Now they have Rob Younger producing, though the result doesn't have the
characteristically sharp sound that appears on other things he's done. But it still helps
keep a check on the out of control backing vocals and other excesses of the last few
Trilobites discs. Unfortunately nothing seems to have rushed in to fill the void, so what
we have is a fairly drab rock single.
LIZ DEALEY
AND THE TWENTY SECOND SECT
The Wailing House/Tell Me Go/Don't Give Me That (Greasy Pop, 1986)
A long time ago when punk was starting to get rolling, I used to buy singles if they had
black and white sleeves and the band had a suitably punkish name. This strategy worked
pretty well at the time, but I recall once getting a single entitled "Orphans"
by a band I hadn't heard of at the time called Teenage Jesus And The Jerks. This record
sounded like an oven full of cats being baked alive. I gave it to my friend Chris, who
subsequently concluded it was one of the greatest things he'd ever heard, while Miss Jesus
went on to minor stardom as Lydia Lunch. It is this sad tale that convinces me that there
does exist a market for "The Wailing House" by this Adelaide band fronted by the
former lead shrieker for the Acid Drops. I am not a member of that market. However, I do
quite like "Tell Me Go" and "Don't Give Me That" on the flip, which
feature somewhat more conventional approaches and some real bitchin' tough vocals, and I
will never condemn Greasy Pop for having unadventurous releases again.
THE TWENTY
SECOND SECT
UXB/Gimme Control/I'm A Man/Hey Baby (Sympathy)
More crazed thrashing about by this Adelaide group. As promised in the interview, the
songs tend to be more involved structurally than on Get That Charge, but that
doesn't mean they've backed off on the general approach of blenderizing Lydia Lunch with
Iggy Pop and drinking it as a high protein milkshake. The guitar sound is a whole lot
thicker than before, too. I think the fact that there's four songs on a 7" flattens
the sound a little compared to Get That Charge or the tape I heard of the lp, but
you still want this as their outrageous cover of Spencer Davis Group's "I'm A
Man" isn't going to be on it.
THE U.V.'s
Dropping Bombs/Real World/Deepest Blue (Sympathy)
Sort of an Adelaide superstar pickup band, the U.V.'s sport two Exploding White Mice, A
Lizard Trainee, the kingpin of Greasy Pop records and are led by Ian List, the singer in
the Spikes. Ian can now proudly add this single to his resume, since it's a corker...this
stuff is pretty powerful with buckets of hooks. It's pop in structure, but it's played
with a psychotic edge that really makes it rise above. The kind of record that has you
unimpressed on first listen, intrigued on the second, and totally hooked on the third. The
sound isn't quite as sharp as on other Greasy Pop records, leaving a sort of a demo flavor
to the proceedings. No matter, the superb songwriting and great band shine through. It's
great seeing a label like Sympathy making this stuff available in the US.
VAMPYRE
LOVERS
Buzzsaw Popstar/Gothic School/Rubber Sex/Freaks
A reissue of a fairly old Aussie single, the sleeve makes them seem like some totally wild
band, but the reality is that the three songs on the flip aren't even worth discussing,
and although the A side rates for having a good punky production style and some great
vocals, it hardly qualifies as wild. Amusing.
VAMPYRE LOVERS
Weirdo Wasteland/No One/Wildlife (Hecuba)
I've got their earlier "Buzzsaw Popstar" single from a while back, and all I can
say is that this one wipes the floor with it. Hecuba seems to go for the metally Brisbane
bands (they also did a Girlies single), and this is no exception. "Wasteland" is
some kind of out of control speed metal-hardcore hybrid. "No One" gets a little
Van Halen-y for my tastes in the solos, but "Wildlife" is a pretty fun cruncher
in the Kryptonics mold. Even when it sounds metally there's a lot more effort in playing
and less in posing than most metal bands, so the judges' scores are going to be pretty
good on this one...
VANILLA
CHAINSAWS
T.S. (Was It Really Me)/Everything (Phantom)
I've read at least two total rave reviews of this, and though it's certainly a promising
debut, there are plenty of other Aussie leadoff singles as good. It has that Husker Du
wall of ringing guitar chords approach that sounds instantly very appealing, but the sound
isn't enough to hold up to repeated listenings all by itself. On the A-side there's not a
hell of a lot in the way of a hook, and the one significant guitar riff is played into the
ground. And besides, it has a godawful arty title. The flip is a bit better, with a real
good pounding drum sound. You can do a lot worse than this single for sure, but what I'd
like to see is all the knobs set exactly like this and then some really good material to
be played with it.
VANILLA CHAINSAWS
Like You/Onslaught (Phantom)
I thought their "T.S. (Was It Really Me?)" single was a little formulaic, but I
grudgingly had to admit that it was pretty good. This one shows that they have the formula
down pat, and there's no way I can complain about the results. Both sides have massive
slabs of guitar and driving drums. The band layers hot leads over ringing rhythm chords
with vocals that remind me a lot of the early 80s Scottish mod band TV21 (if anyone
remembers them besides me). Another prime example of why singles are so good when both A
and B side click...this one gets played over and over at my house, often twice a night.
I'm a believer. Now give me an lp.
VANILLA CHAINSAWS
So Old/Change Things (Glitterhouse)
This single was free with the first pressing of the Chainsaw's Glitterhouse lp and it's
almost too bad that it couldn't have been fit on the lp, since the two tracks here can't
be had elsewhere. Both are recorded live to a cassette in the studio, and they've got a
fine punch that's more raw than anything they've ever done...totally rips apart my
problems with the Wine Dark Sea mini-lp; this one has lots of bite and attack,
though it's not for high tech production fanatics. The songs aren't quite as good as the
two Phantom singles, but they aren't far off. Vocals are a little deep in the reverb, but
the guitars are solid as usual and the drums are real punchy. Simon's got more like this
around the house, too. They ought to give us "When Worlds Collide" some day, if
they're still together.
VENOM
P. STINGER
Walking About/26 mg (Aberrant)
The first record I’ve heard by this Australian punk group, and I'll have to get more.
"Walking About" is a strange one...it's dynamic and tense as hell until the
chorus, where it sort of dies out. But the chorus is over quickly and it's back to the
roaring part, which features charging guitars and bass and some great vocals in a
half-shout style that works really well. "26 mg" is a drug song that isn't quite
the powerhouse of the A-side and in places sounds a bit disorganized, but on the whole
it's a reasonably positive listening experience.
VINDALOONIES
Shine On/Red Light Go Green (Citadel)
Not very satisfying coming from Citadel...this is fairly routine acoustic folk rock that
could've been done by someone like Dan Fogelberg except he wouldn't have let the drummer
play quite so loud. Has an accordion solo in it. Sid woulda never approved.
VOODOO
LUST
Stop Breakin' My Heart/Gossip (Lone Wolf)
Cathy's On Heat/How Do You Sleep (Rattlesnake)
The Lone Wolf single is a classic piece of speedy power pop by this Sydney four piece. The
vocalist sounds just a little like Joe Jackson, but don't hold that against them, because
when you hear the way the drummer riddles bullet holes in the proceedings with his kick
drum and listen to the bass runs and the great backing vocals, you'll forget all about
minor stuff like that. And the track "Gossip" on the flip is every bit as good
as "Breakin' My Heart".
The second single
doesn't hit the level of the first one, which is not surprising, because it's pretty rare
for bands to connect twice with this sort of pop (examples: Records "Starry
Eyes", Vapors "Turning Japanese") and Voodoo Lust pretty well hit it with
both sides of the first one. Still, "Cathy" sounds like quite a lot of fun and
certainly maintains the speed, but the flip descends into the realm of the quite ordinary
and doesn't see a lot of plays around the NFH corporate offices.
VULTEES
Heaven/Breaks My Heart (Waterfront)
I've heard Husker Du and Clash comparisons for this band too, but I really don't think
they're valid. This lot doesn't have the energy of either of those two, and although
"Heaven" has some degree of energy and a fair hook with its "Hey Jude"
-like chorus, the songs are too goddamn long. I'd say a better comparison is the Alarm,
with the mix of acoustic and electric guitar, and the many changes in the pace and
direction of the songs. Commercial Suicide Dept: the normal lead vocalist doesn't sing the
A-side. "Breaks My Heart" is faster and has better hooks in it, but I think the
guitar player is a better singer.
VULTEES
Kick It Out/Too Little Too Late (Waterfront)
I keep reading reviews about this band comparing them to the Clash or Husker Du, and based
on their other single and compilation tracks from all over, I haven't been able to see it.
But this 45 is a real blast, and I guess this is what they've been trying to tell me all
along. "Kick It Out" really roars with some great solos and a frantic pace. The
vocalist has this twist of bullshit in his voice that I don't care for very much (like
he's trying too hard to emote or something), but if I can shut that out, I find I like
this quite a lot.
WET TAXIS
Sailor's Dream/Ambulance Ride (Citadel)
C'mon/Clock On The Wall (Hot)
I got "Sailor's Dream" primarily to fill the hole in my Citadel collection, and
I was pretty surprised (and a bit sheepish at first) to find that I like it as much as I
do. It's filled with jazzy percussion and horns and pianos and all sorts of other mean and
nasty horrible things, but when that "hey, Hey, HEY!" chorus rolls around with
the song building like some Stax/Volt soul thing, I can't help myself. The flip is more of
a straight rock sound (still with horns and keyboards), but it has all the snap and
crackle you'd expect from a Rob Younger/Alan Thorne production. Louis Tillet (who is the
guest keyboardist on just about every Aussie record that has a guest keyboardist) does a
great job with the vocals.
I liked that so well
that when I saw the Hot single (released in 1984) staring mournfully out of the bins at
Off The Record, I went for it as well. I was prepared for disappointment; after all, this
sort of stuff never works twice, right? Wrong. These two tracks are even more 60's
sounding, and there's no extraneous keyboards or horns. Both are real soulful mid tempo
deals with solid hooks. I like the Citadel single better because of its production, but
neither of these two were bad choices.
WHITE
CROSS
Don't Break Their Hearts/Lonely Man (Mighty Boy)
More Aussies, this time playing the sort of stuff I'd usually turn off
quickly...except...I...didn't. For some reason. There's lots of acoustic strumming, sax
and keyboard backing, breathy and impassioned vocals, and even some really neat
soul-crooning female vocal backing. Sort of Billy Bragg stuff with a little more
accompaniment. I actually play it quite a bit. And like it. I think it's Rob Younger's
fault. He produced it.
THE WHITE ELEPHANTS
Vic Morrow's Head/You Endanger Us (DogMeat)
From Melbourne, the members of this band have been around in various forms (Gas Babies,
Sick Things) for much of the 80s, but this is their first time on vinyl. Members of bands
such as Bored!, God and the Seminal Rats have cited them as influences, and off this
single it's not hard to see why. Especially for Bored!, since the two tracks here are more
of that heavy, heavy Stooges sounding thing that Bored! have made a specialty of over
their several lps. Real dark, chunky guitar, riffs that repeat over and over and over and
worm their way into the center of your brain are the main feature. The singing is fairly
routine rant stuff, but it's mixed low enough so that I can enjoy the rest around it.
Which is good, because it's great music. (There is also a White Elephants split single with Bored.)
GREG
WILLIAMS
Even Time/I Can't Breathe (Greasy Pop)
"Even Time" was the one song from the lp that I really enjoyed listening to, so
it's nice to have it on a single. It's nice jangly pop in roughly the same mode as the Mad
Turks...very nicely done. The flip is non-lp but it's back to the coffee house style of
most of the record.
WRECKERY
Everlasting Sleep/Damned Is Hard (Rampant)
Slow and slinky with all kinds of horns (or hornlike synthesizers) and other synth parts.
Not the sort of thing I'd listen to regularly, but has its entertaining value. Stripped of
the vocals, this would be good as the background music in a cowboy movie when the hero is
riding out across the range to find the woman he loves who's been kidnapped by Black Bart.
With the vocals it doesn't sound anything like this at all, but I can't figure out what
the guy is carrying on about so this is the best I can do. "Damned Is Hard" is
faster, but just sounds like a mess with about thirty voices singing different lyrics that
converge on the chorus, which chants "Damned Is Hard" in a somewhat appealing
fashion. For the art-damaged.
X
El Salvador (Phantom)
Dream Baby/I Don't Wanna Go Out (live) (White Label)
"El Salvador" is as good a song as X have done, and that is really saying
something because they've got some great ones. X know how to make more out of less, with a
simple bassline that coils itself around you like a boa constrictor and squeezes until
everything goes black. Popped on top of that is a simple little guitar lead that makes
this single sound as dark as the deepest jungles in El Salvador, where the band will
advise you, you had best "Keep your head down on the tourist busses; they're just
guerrillas having fun". This is one scary song...ranks right with "Holidays In
Cambodia" for creating in music an idea of the horror of human suffering. Sound
quality is a bit dodgy even for a flexi, but don't let that stop you. This song is raw,
imperative, vital, and you should have it, now. "Dream Baby" isn't quite up to
that level of achievement, but is still a real good (and different) version of an oldie by
somebody whose name escapes me right now. It's obviously not quite as geopolitical in
viewpoint, and is more commercial sounding by far (though this still leaves it miles short
of ever having to worry about Billboard charts). Nevertheless, it's got the qualities X
always delivers...crunching bass and drums and minimal guitar over the top. "I Don't
Wanna Go Out" is a screaming raw live version of one of the great tracks from their
first lp. Buy decision? Anything by X you need.
X
And More/Getting Wet (White Label)
I'm wondering if I don't like this because I want this to be like the old X and it isn't,
or because it isn't any good. It's hard to be sure...at any rate, although it's noisy
enough it doesn't feature the minimalist sound that made early X so good, as it's loaded
with all kinds of other instruments...horns, extra percussion, synths, etc. It lacks the
rhythmic punch of the earlier stuff, too; in fact "Getting Wet" sounds like the
backing for a Ban de Soleil advertisement. Disappointing.
VARIOUS
Down Under flexi (BOB magazine giveaway)
GARDEN PATH
Wear Black
THE LIZARD TRAIN
She Is Like A Cloud
TOYS WENT BERSERK
See The Man
THE HELLMENN
What’s My Name
KING SNAKE ROOST
feedtime
Trouble
SLUB
Another one of a very good batch of fanzine flexis lately; usually these things are trash,
but this one is a hell of a treat, especially since it comes with a magazine full of great
coverage of Aussie bands. Leading off is the fabulous pop of Garden Path on "Wear
Black"...these guys have a couple of Greasy Pop 12"ers that I'm going to have to
lay hands on. Plugs right in between Mad Turks and Handmedowns. Next up is Lizard Train's
bashing "She Is Like A Cloud", which really powers behind some tough drumming
and vocals. Toys Went Berserk's "See The Man" hammers away with the best of
their stuff; mega-tension from get-go to heave-ho.
Flip it over (yep,
this 10" flexi has 2 sides and 7 tracks) and get the hardcore assault of the
Hellmenn's "What's My Name" (not their best, but even their worst is pretty
good) followed by three noise merchant tracks from King Snake Roost, feedtime and Slub.
KSR's is faster and more musical (relative terms, relative terms!) than anything else I've
heard by them. feedtime's "Trouble" is more of a grower, I thought it was weak
at first, but now it's starting to hook in; the usual pounding rhythms, but more changes
than usual. Slub finishes with the one klunker; a bunch of totally disorganized ranting.
Six out of seven thumbs up, handshakes all around!
VARIOUS
PRAY TV
Ring Road
FIENDISH GLEE
Heave Ho
LOVECRAFT
Time And Motion
NURSERY CRIMES
My Simple World (Lemon)
This one's the freebie with the latest Lemon fanzine; I've only heard of Pray TV and
Nursery Crimes before now. The Pray TV track is their usual impassioned sort of singing
and a tense, moody song that rocks nicely. I suspect an lp of this would all sound the
same, but on a single, Pray TV always seem to work pretty well. Fiendish glee are fronted
by a guy who looks like the derelict son of Santa Claus, and they play a rocking, Detroit
metal kind of motorcycle punk. Production's a little thin, but they sound like they've got
the potential to be very good. Lovecraft are kind of like late period Screaming Tribesmen
without such polished production. Except they've got some backing synth washes to make
sure we see their true colors. Ugh. Nursery Crimes, whose lp I didn't care for after
loving their single, present all the same strengths and weaknesses; great tune, great
playing, but singing that sounds to mainstream metal to be tolerated in anything but small
doses.
Australian 45s A - D
Australian 45s E - L
Australian 45s M - S
