Reviewed by Jim Coursey
Released: 1980 Brian Briggs Brian Damage Genre: New Wave Comedy Hour Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Highlights: Lookin’ Out Psyclone Spy Vs. Spy Lifer Brit John Holbrook was a recording engineer and session musician, working primarily at Todd Rundgren’s Bearsville studio until 1980. He put out a few albums under different names, and either started in 1978 [1] or 1980 [2] depending on which source you believe. “Brian Damage” by his alter-ego Brian Briggs came as a pleasant surprise — a creative, well-made record that sounds like its time without neatly fitting into any scene, and hopping around stylistically to boot. Though to be honest, the album isn’t so far removed from the type of stuff Rundgren was releasing at the time, albeit with a decidedly different vocal style. Holbrook/Briggs was not as good a singer as Rundgren, but he does his best with a wry, deadpan style which I find to be far more enjoyable than Rundgren. Holbrook/Briggs may not have what it takes to make for a sustained and credible career, but I like his persona at album-length. I tend to prefer to write reviews that summarize the content rather than give a blow-by-blow account, but the latter seems preferable here, and I’m too lazy to make a coherent couple paragraphs out of this work. Lookin' Out - This sounds like a very well produced, slightly underwhelming backing track for any number of 70s light pop artists attempting to fit with the modern sound. Notes of Juice Newton, Alan Parsons, etc. But his deadpanned vocals make it his own. Nervous Breakdown - hammy new wave take on Eddie Cochran’s “Nervous Breakdown” doesn’t rival the original but is cute and fun. One of his more energetic vocal performances here, if a bit goofy. See You On The Other Side - twangy new country song with more deadpanned vocals. Would pair well with Lindsay Buckingham’s “Holiday Road”, but a good bit chiller. Aeo (Part I & II) - far and away the top streamers here (at least according to Spotify stats). The electronic beat is kinda cool, the faux-African new age chanting is less interesting. And I don’t get why he broke this into two tracks. Psyclone - Favorite track on the album. Mostly instrumental, with occasional vocal interjections like Suggs on a Madness instrumental, but with more of a sneer. Driving, offbeat ska-tinged new wave. Goin' Out Of My Head - wacky cockney version of the Little Anthony and the Imperials original. A definite departure from the original. Not better but certainly entertaining. Spy Vs. Spy — like a mash up a Madness instrumental with a Peter Gunn guitar line and cartoonish Spike Jones / Art of Noise sound effects. Fun, but not life-changing. Let Me Hear Me Talkin' — the music sounds like an 80s glossed up Chuck Berry, with a less soulful Jagger yelling vocals over top. Not my thing. Lifer — on a better album this instrumental would be left on the cutting room floor, but it’s a dark horse highlight for me. Kind of like replacing the made-up African music of Aeo with made-up alien vocals. Or what would happen if “My Life in the Bush of Ghosts” threw in some Riddle and Phelps eefin’ and hambone [3] and Chipmunks-like backing vocals. Surprisingly decent if silly like the rest of the album. [1] https://barneyhoskyns.com/2020/10/17/john-holbrook-r-i-p/ [2] https://www.discogs.com/artist/316442-Brian-Briggs [3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UX_q5cjRjJw
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