Music Reviews

This is an attempt to list music reviews by Andy Kershaw in various publications:

## Music Week (28th June 1986)

* Let's Active: In Little Ways (single) I.R.S. *(AK: "It wouldn't have been my choice for a single from the splendid LP, Big Plans For Everybody, so it's probably the song most likely to reach those who still haven't heard that Mitch Easter is The Coolest Man In America. The insolent Beatles references and saucy guitar that make the LP such a treat are not so obvious here, but radio programmers will feel more comfortable with this plinky-plonky synth pop.")*
* Ted Hawkins: Watch Your Step (EP) Windows On The World *(AK: "Ted Hawkins is the greatest living soul/ blues writer and singer. No contest. The "beige-beat" boys and girls, successfully passing off their routine funk as soul music, would be a joke if Hawkins had the recognition he deserves, a release of his Watch Your Step LP in the UK and a future that didn't rely on busking around Venice Beach, Los Angeles, with his acoustic guitar and heavenly voice. This four-song EP lifts, unimaginatively, the three tracks from the LP with backing band accompaniment but also includes the spine-tingling solo version of Watch Your Step to complement the R&B hurricane treatment the song receives on the A-side. I've had more enquiries about Hawkins, after airplay on my radio show, than all other artists put together. This man is a major discovery. Stock this EP and play the acoustic song in your shop. Watch the customers look up from the browsers. You will sell a lot of copies.")*
* Billy Bragg: Levi Stubbs Tears (single) Go! Discs *(AK: "Billy's strength so far has been his ability to produce short, sharp, instantly hummable melodies wrapped around a lyric that says, "I'm as ordinary, naive and confused as you are". This plods along with a clumsy, humourless arrangement, possibly arising from a desire to take his meat-and-potatoes sound a stage further. He must resist the pressure to become a "serious musician". More disturbing is the slightly pious implication that he now knows and — worse — understands the ills of the world. I hope he regains his cheek. The B-side cover of Dick Gaughan's Think Again and the live Between The Wars on the 12" inch are excellent, thank God.")*
* Paul Brady: Back To The Centre (Walk The White Line) (single) Mercury *(AK: "It's ironic that Brady's fans are better known than he is. Dylan, Bono, Mark Knopfler and Eric Clapton are queuing up to praise him and Brady makes better records than any of their recent stuff. Yet this fine singer and writer remains relatively obscure. Perhaps his recent Whistle Test appearance will have nudged him slightly info public view and the single, although individual, makes the required noises for mass approval.")*
* Primitives: Thru The Flower (single) (Lazy / Rough Trade) *(AK: "The Primitives are soon to record a session for the Andy Kershaw Hootenanny (Radio One, Thursday, 10pm) on the strength of the title track of this 4-song EP. Loutish guitar counterpoints a fragrant vocal. More melody than Mantovani and all the fun and bounce of an evening with The Ramones. Tired old hacks will remind us of The Primitives' similarity to The Shop Assistants, but what's wrong with that and who gives a toss anyway?")*
* Judds: Have Mercy (single) RCA *(AK: " A gutsy, uncompromising duet by mother and daughter, Wynonna and Naomi Judd, and a neat reminder of acoustic instruments' ability to create a Big Sound. Swaggering honky-tonk dobro and piano do the job here. The Judds will be fantastically popular when the rest of the world wakes up to their clever contemporary employment of traditional elements of country music. Good looks, personalities and their unique relationship will get them noticed first.")*
* Soup Dragons: Whole Wide World (single) Subway *(AK: "Sure to please two kinds of customers. Those who cling, quite rightly, to an affection for the Buzzcocks, and those who may never have heard Manchester's greatest group of the Seventies, but will be enchanted by The Soup Dragons' fuzzed-up, gallopina guitars and the semi submerged pale-pink vocal. It's all over too soon, and that's a good sign.")*

## Music Week (5th July 1986)

* Old Ma Cuxsom: Don't Scare Me (single) Sossy Passenger *(AK: 'Don't Scare Me is likely to get considerable airplay from the Nightime (sic) Radio 1 Gaad Guys.')*
* Talking Heads: This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody) (single) Sire *(AK: 'Talking Heads are one of few bands making stimulating records that stand a hope of charting')*
* Fortunate Sons: Sometimes You Win (single) Bam-Caruso *(AK: 'A good, catchy tune is forever unpopular with music media trendies. So this 12 string spangle will appeal only to unrepentant rackists like myself')*
* Rod Stewart: Every Beat Of My Heart (single) Warner Bros. *(AK: 'A sentimental ballad in which Rod, yearning for Blighty, tells us he's quit having it off with himself and everyone else in America and will soon return home for an onstage reconciliation with John Peel at Wembley. Every Beat Of My Heart which is Sailing, updated with ludicrous Eighties drumming - will surely be an arm waving encore at the gig and a favourite last smooch with lager and lime lovers in discos everywhere')*
* That Petrol Emotion: Natural Kind Of Joy (single) Demon *(AK: 'The most accessible song from the Manic Pop Thrill LP could win That Petrol Emotion widespread airplay and many new sympathisers. But there may be a problem here; if the single is a success then the band will have to find more uncharacteristic, lilting pop duties to sustain popularity and I suspect they haven't an abundance in stock. Order this record and give them the chance to prove a smartass like me wrong.')*
* Bob Seger And The Silver Bullet Band: Like A Rock (single) Capitol *(AK: 'More over wrought emotion, pomp and circumstance by the master of making an epic out of nothing.')*
* Motörhead: Deaf Forever (single) GWR *(AK: 'It won't be this tune but one day they'll make a record as defiantly cavalier as their attitude and boot all opposition onto the hard shoulder')*
* Sir Mix-A-Lot: Square Dance Rap (single) Streetwave *(AK: 'With it's loopy fiddle breaks and chipmunk vocal this one is daft, enjoyable and possibly a hit')*
* Surfin' Lungs: Surf-Jet Girl EP (single) Big Beat *(AK: 'The Surfin' Lungs have got everything right except their records. Previously, they've been deliberately wacky rater than spontaneously eccentric and now this one sounds like it's trying too hard to be acceptable. They need to find better songs loosen up, and lose the producer')*
* John Miles Band: I Need Your Love (single) Valentino *(AK: 'John Miles made the sophistication for blackheads standard, Music, for which he must never be forgiven')*
* Jersey Artists For Mankind: We've Got The Love (single) Arista *(AK: 'If you're confused by charity records fever and can't remember who's to benefit from a given chartbuster then here's the one that covers the lot... I shall buy a copy but I'll never play it. Good causes don't mean good records.')*
* Mekons: Hello Cruel World (single) Sin *(AK: 'A puzzling choice for a single from the Edge Of The World LP. There are numbers more bumptious on their latest crazed country collection than this. The twisted rendition of Don Gibson's Sweet Dreams must be the follow up.')*
* Beat Farmers: Powderfinger (single) MCA *(AK: 'It lacks the menace of Neil Young's original and the mysterious blackness that overcome our frail hero has been lost in The Beat Farmer's slightly off hand cover. Still, better than the rest.')*
* One 2 One: Angel In My Pocket (single) Bonaire *(AK: 'Wheel the DX7's into the studio for that all-conquering, sparky sound, give them a name and artwork like everyone else's and the result is sure to sink without trace among thousands of similar records this week')*
* Katrina & The Waves: Sun Street (single) Capitol *(AK: 'It's a glib, repetitive, calculated coach trip singalong. I will treasure the carefree thrill of their earlier works and wish them good luck with this. By the way - probably a summer hit')*

## External Links

* World Radio History (Music Week) (28th June 1986)
* World Radio History (Music Week) (5th July 1986)