The 1981 Listening Post - The Knack - Round Trip

 The Knack - Round Trip

#525

By Robbie Rist

October 1981

The Knack

Round Trip

Allen’s Rating: 4 out of 5

Robbie’s Rating 4.5 out of 5

Genre: Horny teenage music for grownups.Star Trek movies.

The even numbered ones are awesome.

Knack records.

The odd ones are awesome.

Lamentably, The Knack’s third album turned out to be their last major label release.

Which I find something of a crime.

Yeah yeah yeah. Album one. Sharona. Made in 7 days. Eleventy billion copies sold. Whatever.

Round Trip is it’s own brilliant bird.

The band knew after the tepid response to their second record (the really good but not amazing .....But the Little Girls Understand) that the party was pretty much over.

Knacklash had begun.

The public was ready to tar and feather any skinny tie wearing Anglophile in Cuban heel boots.

There were better things to go back to now.

Like disco. (Fuck you Duran Duran with your cocaine grooves and pastel colors)

So, their options waning, The Knack did what any self respecting pop band on the way out would do.

They made an expensive, melodically mature, musically experimental pop record.

And far and away their best sounding.

Sure, there are ‘knack style’ power pop songs to be found here like Boys Go Crazy.

But there is also a moody country number (the confounding ‘single’, Pay The Devil)

And a psych song with a bridge sung in Hebrew (We are Waiting).

Soul Kissing is in the Bo Diddley-sequel style of She’s so selfish but its more confident a groove. And its a deep one. Bruce Gary is a sadly missed energy in the musical landscape. A ‘song player’ who understands the value of occasionally ‘tastefully over playing’. We still have Clem. We still have Pete Thomas. Not many others.

The words are a bit more introspective this time out.

Radiating Love asks to join the tribe of positivity and light (saccharine and idealistic? Maybe. But I will take that a billion times over the over earnest, navel gazing nihilism of the 90s).

The most ‘Knack’ song on it has go to be Just Wait and See. It’s the Byrds, The Beatles and The Who all in the proper amounts with a sheen of teen innocence.

Then there’s Africa.

Which I am sure confounded many a fan.

It’s mid 70s jazz rock featuring bassist  Prescott Niles on keys, Doug Feiger on 6 string bass and an appearance by the Chicago horn section with a guitar solo that surpasses Sharona and rockets the song in to the stratosphere.

It’s not a perfect record. Art war is just kind...there. And  I myself could have done without Pay The Devil (which proves how much Capitol wanted them gone. They released this as single. Almost as if to say, ‘Thanks for the fat stacks of cash. Now be on your way’. Even the title sounds cryptic.)

To my ears, Round Trip is the best SOUNDING Knack record. Sonically, Jack Douglas makes the most of Niles and Gary, probably the best rhythm section of that era next to The Attractions (go ahead and fight me).

And not enough gets written about Berton Averre both as a guitarist AND songwriter. You can sing every one of his solos (even if actually playing them can be tricky). And, if you ever heard Doug’s solo stuff, which is anything but bad, Averre becomes illuminated as the one truly indispensable member of The Knack.

So yeah.

If you liked the first record but that is all you heard, I suggest going next to album 5, Zoom. It’s the closest to the first one.

Then, slip out of your shoes and dive into Round Trip.

The water is nice here.

https://open.spotify.com/album/1tWYjtPL5lgX0FUHIBWpDd?si=e1-GxVpOSnybOLzoOWRl2Q

The 1981 Listening Post - Martin Briley - Fear of the Unknown

 Martin Briley - Fear of the Unknown

#172

By Robbie Rist

1981 Housekeeping

Martin Briley

Fear of the Unknown

Genre: Sophisticated Power Pop With Classical Leanings

Allen’s Rating: 4.75 out of 5

Rating: 4.88 out of 5

Allen’s Highlights: 

1. Slipping Away
2. The Man I Feel
3. I Feel Like a Milkshake
4. First to Know
5. Heart of Life
6. A Little Knowledge is a Dangerous Thing
7. I Don't Feel Better
8. More of the Same
9. One Step Behind
10. Fear of the Unknown

(That’s the whole album, folks)

Allen has got to stop giving me these softballs.

This is one of my favorite records ever.

I knew of Briley from his cool hit Salt In My Tears which is an incredibly great slab of commercial pop music with a wonderful melody, clever wordplay and top notch playing.

His album One Night With A Stranger is also quite the amazing ride.

But it is an exceptionally ‘commercial’ affair.

As evidenced by Fear Of The Unknown.

Which I bought after One Night.

Fear is way better.

But you are gonna have to spend a few listens on it.

There is too much to ingest on a first listen.

Briley is what happens when a Beatles obsessive moves up and out of his neighborhood of heroes and starts making his own version of it.

Those sixties influenced melodies are all over this thing.

But there is also an almost Queenesque approach to the guitars and chords with lots of fun twists and turns.

The words are actually ABOUT things.

Some of them pretty dark.

The Heart Of Life maybe hits a little too close to home for me. It’s a personal indictment of male independence that belies, underneath all of that ‘manliness’, there are those of us who are little more than terrified little boys.

‘Don’t say you’re gonna love me forever

Even though I wish it could be so

Don’t give me no cliches from your scenario

Forever is a long long time

I could hit forty and just lose my mind

You say you’re tough and you never bruise

But would you want to be standing in my shoes?‘

Yikes.

It’s not all peans to male insecurity.

He gets hilariously metaphysical on I Feel Like A Milkshake (covered by The Monkees at some point in the 90s).

It’s also, I think, one of the only pop songs in music history to rhyme ‘gravy stains’ and ‘vericose veins’.

He gets aware that things may not be all they seem on The First To Know.

Wonders why freedom isn’t free on I Don’t Feel Better

Every song (to this reviewers ears anyway) has multiple clever turns of phrase, musical left turns that make you want to go back and listen again and incredibly intricate guitar playing that, again, nods toward Brian May but also is somehow more sophisticated. Like if Queen allowed themselves to go deeper into their classical side than their rawk side.

Now the downside.

Only one really.

I think this was cut on the cheap.

The drums are papery and flat.

It doesn’t leap out at you like the production of his next album.

It made it a challenging relationship for me. But one I am so glad I had the faith in things I like to listen to it enough times where now, 30 years later, I still put this thing on a few times a year.

It’s that good.

To me anyway.

If this turns out to be your cup of meat, check out his more Beatle style stuff with The Liverpool Echo, Briley and Engel and evening a prog band called Mandrake.

If classically influenced guitar pop is your thing, you should  dig this.

https://open.spotify.com/album/0nOeAB75C5jiIRMHc1TWHK?si=DUaHHRRJSQej6lr2pZpM-Q

Allen’s notes:

I have a long and storied history with this record, from reading about the first time in Trouser Press and finding it at a local record store for cheap to mentioning it at a recording session with Rob only to watch him get up, go to his van in the parking lot and come back with a CD burn of this album. Rob’s not an easy sell on what constitutes greatness but the fact that he loved this album as much as I…I was blown away. I really wanted to review it myself, but Mr. Rist did a bang up job. And I just had to say, man I adore this record. 

The 1981 Listening Post - The Who - Face Dances

The Who - Face Dances

#111

By Robbie Rist

March 16 1981

The Who

Face Dances

Genre: Hanging On By A Finger Rock

Allen’s Rating: 2.5 out of 5

Robbie’s Rating: 3.75

Highlights: You Better You Bet

Yes. Yes.

I know.

The faithful will sniff the air dismissively and say, 'It's not even a Who record'.

And they would be right.

Its more a Pete Townshend solo thing.

With two members of The Who helping out.

And a very odd choice to replace one of the most iconic players to ever play this kind of white blues based rock music.

Now, I don't know this from experience (unfortunately) but I can only assume that a band entering its third decade together must have a completely unique set of wins and losses.

The Who were a lot of things to a lot of people. Fashionable mod progenitors, hard rock improvisationalists, consistent hit makers and even, oddly, protectors of all that makes being a teenager magical.

They were coming off an amazing run of single in the seventies. Going Mobile, Won't Get Fooled Again, Who Are You. Hell, even Squeezebox had its own oddball charm.

The stoners loved them. The punks embraced them.

Now, I believe that most amazing things happen by synergy.

Name your band.

You like the Beatles , right?

Can you see the same rise to their position in Valhallah with Stu Sutcliffe? Pete Best?

Its not surprising that NO ONE from that band ever did ANYTHING as good solo as they did as a unit.

Synergy.

Some bands can live through it. Most don't.

And here is where The Who found themselves in the middle of 1980.

Like a person losing a lung, they can still get around but there are challenges.

And off they went into the studio.

With Moon's replacement, Kenny Jones.

A great but....mostly an RnB drummer.

Not the kind guy known for....well.....cutting loose.

I mean The Who may have started as that sort of band but, by 1980, they were completely different beast all together. On most of these tracks it feels like Jones is strapped to th back of a fast moving train and he is doing everything his power to....just....hang....on....

Didn't hurt that Townshend was drinking and drugging his balls off and, if you listen to Chinese Eyes and Empty Glass, he was keeping the really good songs to himself.

Then there is producer Bill Szymczyk who, aside from having a terrible paucity of vowels in his name, ended doing to them what he did to the Eagles.

He plucked out all of their teeth.

Ok.

It really seems an uphill battle for one of the top groups of the British Invasion.

However.

Lets say The Who never existed. That this was simply a record made by a bunch of journeyman session players or a one off all star ensemble.

Second drawer or not, there are a lot of great songs on this thing.

You better You Bet is an astonishing bit of classic power pop. I wish more bands in the 90s El Lay pop scene wrote more songs like this. Some of us might have actually made money.

Don't let Go The Coat. Ditto.

As a matter of fact, aside from it all sounding so....comtained, I have trouble finding fault with many of these songs.

It even ALMOST gets menacing (I said almost) with Entwhistle's The Quiet One.

Is it safe? Yeah. Is it a WHO record?

Doesn't sound like one to me. I mean I hear flashes of them but....no....just a really good band playing competent songs well.

If it's iconic you are looking for here, you won't find it.

By this point their iconic years were laying in a pine box with their old drummer.

But, with the benefit of hindsight, all of these songs bristle with a confidence born of taking a lot of swift kicks to the bollocks and writing skills that almost don't exist anymore..

And, sometimes, that can be pleasantly diverting.

https://open.spotify.com/album/2zLGQD3h1VG2tKzJCdAAyR?si=TPLJW9DKRmyGJTrFFQvaNA

The 1981 Listening Post - Boomtown Rats - Mondo Bongo

 Boomtown Rats - Mondo Bongo

#38

By Robbie Rist

January 1981

Mondo Bongo

Allen’s Rating: 2.5 out of 5

Robbie’s Rating: 4 out of 5

Genre: Power Pop With One Eye Open To The World

Change was in the air.

Simple, 60s influenced pop wasn’t holding the line.

Just singing about girls wasn’t enough anymore.

White pop music was looking for something new.

And the Boomtown Rats had been around the world.

Both lyrically and musically, you can hear its influence all over Mondo Bongo.

‘World Music’ was yet to reduce the listening experience to one long, patchouli scented, corn rowed, endless drum circle.

The Rats were among the first to usher it in.

Mood Mambo sets the tone with spoken word verses, congas and....well....bongos (mondo bongos, apparently) while musing  about snakes on Latin American stairs and the  ‘come dancing competition from the Midlands International Dance Band Orchestra’

What does it mean?

Who knows?

Sure is vibey as hell though.

Next two songs (Straight Up and This Is My Room) are somewhat more mature versions of what the Rats do best, idiosyncratic pop with crazy arrangements and fun words.

Hey! Next we get a fun song about the death of English Imperialism! Ian Smith! Cricket!

Go Man Go appears to be about fighting depression. And through it all, I haven’t yet missed a song where a guy doesn’t get the girl.

Their odd rewrite of The Stones is either a nifty experiment or a misstep. You’re mileage may vary. I myself sit in the ‘nifty experiment’ seats.

There’s a Bowie/disco/afrobeat song.

The Elephants Graveyard has among my fave Geldof lyrics:

‘You see the judge and then you check the jury

She does her hair and calls her lawyer cutie

It’s Disneyland under Marshall law’

Songs about old rich assholes never go out style.

Banana Republic is one of the signature songs of this new sound of theirs. Yeah. It’s a reggae groove but its not straight up reggae. It’s a rock tune that never fully rocks. If this was about a girl it would make the perfec soundtrack for a night on a warm beach.

As it is its a song for a night on a warm  beach during a coup.

Don’t Talk To Me feels like a bit of filler. It’s good.

I can see why its on side 2.

Got some more of that idiosyncratic pop with Hurt Hurts. (Geldof can make ‘Instant Solzhenitsyn’ just trip off the tongue like its nothing. Quite a skill).

Up All Night was a minor MTV hit and I guess the closest thing to a ‘single’ they had. 

Which to me made ZERO sense. I woulda done Elephants Graveyard but what to do I know?

And it all concludes with my favorite song on the record.

45 seconds of awesomeness.

It’s called Cheerio.

Now, I’m a fan so I have an attachment to this record that most don’t I’m sure.

It does so much so quickly.

I love it.

I wish they broke up after this record.

They didn’t.

It was one more last gasp of a record and a break up.

Cheerio would have been such a great send off.

Anyway.

On to the cons.

Tony Visconti’s production is muddy. He leaned in this reverby direction in the 80s and liked very little, if any, of it.

Yup.

That’s the cons.

The Rats embody much of what I tend to like in my rock artists. Great melodies, hooks galore and a great group of players.

Johnny fingers was the last great keyboard player. He was an actual PIANO player who did little, if any, programming.

It kind of leaves me gobsmacked that Simon Crowe and Pete Briquette are not mentioned feverishly in the same sentences as guys like Foxton and Buckler. Both are so gloriously.....themselves. Sigh.....I miss lead bass players.....

Even Cott and Roberts, who are largely relegated to rhythm guitars and ‘atmosphere’, constantly pop out of the mix with just right wrong note and the perfect time.

I highly recommend this album. It doesn’t reveal all of its charms on a first listen but there is much to see.

The 1980 Listening Post - Rod Stewart - Foolish Behavior

 Rod Stewart - Foolish Behavior

#479

By Robbie Rist

Rod Stewart

Foolish Behavior

Genre: Rod Music Only For Rod People

Allen’s Rating: 3.5 out of 5

The Robbie Rating: 3 out of 5

Highlights:

Passion

She Won’t Dance With Me

Rod Stewart was the last of the jet set rock stars.

He seemed to take great delight in showing off his lavish lifestyle, his seemingly unending parade of gorgeous blonde girlfriends and to let us all in on how fun his life must have been.

And boy did his life look fun.

It even seemed to come out in his voice.

He was born with an instrument that took what made Sam Cooke so awesome, filtered it through Noddy Holder’s bench clearing yowl AND seemed to be winking and smiling at you the whole time.

Even when he was slumming.

Which he seems to be here.

But, c’mon, the dude had earned it by this point.

His solo career had been a steady uphill climb from Gasoline Alley on through Blondes Have More Fun with so many amazing songs.

And he completely knocked it out of the park with Do Ya Think I’m Sexy which made disco safe for uncoordinated white guys a good year or so before Kiss tried it.

And it made him a LOT of money.

Which might be the major problem here.

He had nothing to prove anymore.

1980 seemed to be a ‘place holder year’ for some artists.

The Cars found themselves in a similar place.

Foolish Behaviour isn’t terrible.

And I think that is the worst thing about it.

It shows an artist running low on soul coal.

The only hit was Passion which is....good....

Not great.

Kinda makes me miss Do Ya Think I’m Sexy (which I hated upon its release. I kinda love it now)

Passion just doesn’t have that same sense of ‘yeah, go ahead, make fun of me. I’m gonna go plow through a few more hot blonde girlfriends while you do that’.

The Faces style boogie songs sound like exercises. Not bar fights.

Ever heard his version of Bobby Womacks It’s All Over Now?

THAT sounds like a goddam bar fight.

This all sounds kind of....careful....

The white reggae lope of So Soon We Change sounds like they were going to make a better song but at the last minute felt it was fine.

He had had this core band for a few records at this point (including the terrific rhythm section of Phil Chen and Carmine Appice) and, up until now, you could hear flashes of the individual players personalities rising to the top on songs like Hot Legs and Ain’t Love A Bitch but not so much on this one. It feels like they are making Carmine play with only one foot and one hand.

Again, none of this awful, it just feels like they needed a breather and made this album instead.

It makes for decent background music and Stewart’s voice, as always, beckons.

But you never arrive anywhere on the journey.

His last good record, Tonight I’m Yours, was to follow.

I would say listen to that one.

There is a song on there called Tora Tora Tora (Out With The Boys).

THAT sounds like a goddam bar fight.

https://open.spotify.com/album/27JkLpdO8Mh29l6k3hpQNF?si=f0ss0dEYSLyynQHXF8zahQ