This Australian combo's 1982 debut was an instant worldwide smash, mostly due to the undeniably catchy pop songcraft of singer/songwriter Colin Hay. Of course, it didn't hurt that with the group's reggae undertones and Hay's yelping tenor, they bore a superficial resemblance to early-'80s pop gods The Police, but BUSINESS AS USUAL is far from derivative.
A gift for the hook was Men At Work's most powerful weapon, from the impossibly catchy sax riff on the paranoid pop tune "Who Can It Be Now" to the staccato flute line marking the chorus of the reggae-ish "Down Under." "Down By the Sea"'s atmospheric poignancy proves there's another level of depth to the band's work, and the driving "Underground" adds a unique socio-political edge to the proceedings.
Includes liner notes by David Wild.
Reissue 1981 W/4 Bonus Tracks.
Personnel: Colin Hay, Ron Strykert (vocals, guitar); Greg Ham (vocals, flute, saxophone, keyboards); Jerry Speiser (vocals, drums); John Rees (vocals).
Liner Note Author: David Wild.
Recording information: Richmond Recorders.
Photographer: Laura Levine.
Unknown Contributor Role: Greg Ham.
Men At Work: Colin Hay (vocals, guitar); Ron Strykert (guitar, background vocals); Greg Ham (flute, saxophone, keyboards, background vocals); John Rees (bass, background vocals); Jerry Speiser (drums, background vocals).
Producers: Peter McIan, Colin Hay, Greg Ham.
Rolling Stone (2/20/03, p.65) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...Sparkling production....The hits still glow..." CMJ (1/5/04, p.10) - Ranked #11 in CMJ's "Top 20 Most-Played Albums of 1982".
happy bought as replacement for vinyl album, but was really impressed with the promptness of delivery and follow up info to my e-mail
frank polk Submitted by fmpolk (lake jackson,tx) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo 1 of 1 found this helpful.
it is the best if you havent heard this CD you need to get out and by it now Submitted by Scott johnson (Ft. Collins, CO, USA) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo 1 of 1 found this helpful.
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