The Monkey Puzzle, the Saints' first full-length album after the departure
of founding guitarist/songwriter Ed Kuepper, is quite different from the
first three Saints LPs -- which were all different from each other anyway
-- but holds up well to the test of time. Instead of the abrasive punk
or Memphisy sound of earlier records, Monkey Puzzle's jangly rock hints
at the direction bands like R.E.M. took mid-'80s college rock. Lead singer
Chris Bailey's distinctive, resonant voice shines on the gorgeous "Let's
Pretend," the very Byrdsy "Always," and the incendiary
"Simple Love." The Australian version also includes the classic
B-side, "In the Mirror," with its highly memorable bass intro
and astounding hooks, and a wonderfully sloppy and loose cover of Larry
Williams' "Dizzy Miss Lizzy." Elsewhere, the fare is more conventional
rock, albeit with chiming guitar, great songs, and singing. Barrington
Francis' jangly guitar, original drummer Ivor Hay, and bassist Janine
Hall give the band an entirely new dimension. On its release, Monkey Puzzle
shocked fans with its maturity; though it was made by 21-year-old punk,
most other 21-year-old punks thought it was too much like regular rock
-- a sin in 1981. Since it wasn't released in the U.S. or England, not
many people heard it anyway. Ironically, a few years later, bands like
Guadalcanal Diary and the Connells came to the forefront using a very
similar approach. Of course, by then Bailey had moved into a whole new
musical space. Highly recommended.
(by Geoff Ginsberg, AMG)
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