NZ New Wave: live, on radio, in studio
John L Murphy | Los Angeles | 09/29/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This new wave New Zealand quartet is best known for spawning Chris Knox, formerly of punks The Enemy and later of DIY pioneers Tall Dwarfs--along with musical partner/foil Alec Bathgate, who joined Knox in Toy Love. Also present was Paul Kean, later of the Bats. This compilation has their album on one disc and their live & radio sessions (with some songs not on their studio album) on disc two. It's pricy as an import, but a decent curio for fans of the Flying Nun sound that became more sophisticated by later in the 80s.
At the start of that decade, Toy Love presents, on their official record, a rather mixed jumble of outstanding Buzzcocks-inspired tunes which elevate this record high (for me as a Buzzcocks fan), but too many that also lower its impact, with plodding, stammering, keyboard-heavy and lyrically aimless songs that at times are painful to hear. For every inspired one like "Frogs," with its piano breaking into a few seconds of Beethoven among the proverbial kitchen sink mess of instruments bashing away, there's a "Swimming Pool," clumsily using the Stones' "Get Off of My Cloud" to no real purpose. The sequencing of the record seems random, and offsets any individual song momentum from building or distracting the listener away from the more pedestrian, rambling, or lethargic exercises in New Wave.
Echoes of The Jam, XTC, the Damned, and many second or third-tier new wave British bands reverberate here, but much of the effort is to little lasting achievement when it comes to memorable songcraft. Better is disc two, when--as hinted at on parts later of disc one--a Howard Devoto/Magazine influence actually enlivens the rather dour tunes, making them an off-kilter Buzzcocks impression suiting naturally their inspiration. The looser feel of disc two shows off the band to much better effect, and is recommended. I know that the band had considered the studio album somewhat of a disappointment, and the production seems quite dated, further impeding the band's attempts to make new their version of New Wave NZ style.
So, the handsome color packaging, extremely detailed (lots of small type) liner notes, and looks at posters and inner sleeves makes up, as does the added disc, for the shortcomings of the studio album. On balance, then, three stars at best for the album proper and four for the second disc and five for the archival and graphic value (great cover art!) of this package."
Track Listings (39) - Disc #1
