Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Men At Work - "Cargo" (Columbia - 1983)


Well, here we are, and no better place to start than with the first LP I ever owned, a Christmas present back in 1983. I had requested it based on my love of the video for "It's a Mistake", which prominently featured Eagle Force action figures, which I was fairly obsessed with at the time. Who could resist, with sweet characters named Goldie Hawk and General Mamba! For beverage accompaniment, I've got a Saranac Session IPA for side one, and a Hefeweizen for side two. I've opted for these particular beers because they happened to be in my refrigerator and it's after eleven p.m., and if you live in Massachusetts you know what that means. Lazy? Sure. Sue me. 

Settling into a rickety old chair which belonged to my father's Aunt Clare, I set the needle down and take a sip of the IPA. It has a somewhat subtle flavor for what it is and isn't too heavy on the hops. Underwhelming but certainly drinkable. Much lighter body than your typical IPA and little to no aftertaste. All in all I don't believe I'd seek to purchase a six-pack of these, but seeing as they're only available in specialty mix-packs, (at least to my knowledge), it's not an option anyway. 

Before we get into the music, let's take a gander at the album cover. As an 8-year-old, the cartoon artwork and abundance of detail to peruse was highly appealing. Now it strikes me as somewhat silly and ill-fitting to the music within. Though I suppose it works as a nice contrast to the mostly serious and dour nature of the lyrics and overall mood of the album. The back cover, (not pictured), is a drawing of the island from afar as viewed through a pair of binoculars, the songs listed below. Neither offensive nor memorable. 

The first song opens with the sound of a church bell and footsteps, and then with the introduction of some upbeat guitar and quirky synthesizer we're into the story of "Dr. Heckyll and Mr. Jive", a decently catchy tune that you quickly forget about as soon as you get into the second track. "Overkill", by far the group's best song of their short career, opens with the late Greg Ham's iconic saxophone and immediately exudes a beautifully pensive and ponderous atmosphere. The lyrics deal mainly with insomnia brought on by obsessive and relentless worry over relatively small issues, and I know I've had my bouts with that sort of nonsense. On the whole, the song is perfectly put together and despite, or perhaps even because of its somber tone, an eternally enjoyable listen that has withstood the test of time, whereas much of the album is a victim of the whims of its time period. The song would enjoy a rebirth in the early 2000's when the group's singer, Colin Hay performed an acoustic version on the television comedy series, "Scrubs." The third track is only notable for being sung, as well as written by the guitarist Ron Strykert. It's an innocuous throw-away about a father telling his son to, "Settle Down." Hence, the track title. Next up we have "Upstairs in My House", a collaborative effort between Hay and Strykert with a fairly catchy chorus and rather puzzling lyrics. Your guess as to what it's about is as good as mine. Rounding out side one is an overlooked gem, one of my favorites on the record, "No Sign of Yesterday." It has a haunting, slow, plodding feel and features that wonderfully dense 80's synth sound. The theme is of dealing with loss, trying to move on. No new ground covered to be sure, but it hardly matters. As it fades out amidst some affected vocal riffing and guitar/sax interplay, I take a last sip of IPA and uncap the hefeweizen. 

The Hefeweizen is a much appreciated improvement on the IPA. A really nice blend of spices and refreshingly sweet without overdoing it. A slight under-taste but better than your average Hefeweizen. I would definitely recommend it, particularly for a hot day, or for the second side of Men at Work's sophomore release. 

Side two kicks off with the song which spurred me to spend a precious Christmas gift-request on this album. "It's a Mistake" features a sort of morose, languid ska riff and anti-war lyrics, complete with the requisite 80's reference to Ronald Reagan. Definitely inspired by the wave of nuclear paranoia which permeated that time. I can remember having nightmares about "the bomb." Such a terrifying feeling to know that you and everyone and everything you hold dear can be obliterated at the mere push of a button. But I digress... Despite the song's melancholic aura, it's a wonderfully catchy and excellent tune. So much so that my first band opted to cover, or rather mangle it during a few early performances. In hindsight this was a regrettable decision. Unfortunately the album heads downhill from here, mostly filler and unmemorable schlock. The fourth track, "I Like To" stands out for being sung by keyboardist and saxophone man, Greg Ham, as well as for having by far the fastest tempo of anything else on the album. If you had fallen asleep somewhere in the morass of side two this might have jostled you awake. The final tune, "No Restrictions" is also peppy and somewhat upbeat and features some fun guitar meanderings, but ultimately pales in comparison to the album's standout tracks, "Overkill" and "It's a Mistake." The needle returns to its housing, the last sip of Hefeweizen is drained, and I bid you goodnight.



5 comments:

  1. That was really enjoyable to read- probably because you seem to really enjoy talking/writing about it. I'm looking forward to reading more!

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  2. I enjoyed your blog a lot as well. Found myself recalling my record playing days and thinking it would be cool if you blogged about this album or that. Do you take requests? When I was in seventh grade my parents let me join a record club and my brother and I wore them out! I'll here a song on the radio today and know just where the skip will play. And the album art (Boston for example)... you don't get that today!
    Yes, I really did enjoy... looking forward to see what other albums you choose!

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    1. Thanks, Art. I do have a copy of the first Boston record... I'm thinking it might pair well with a Cape Codder or two!
      Hmmm...

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  4. Just found out that Cargo has been reissued on a new vinyl remaster. It forms a duel set that includes a free 12 inch of the song Blue for You remastered from the original master tapes at Abbey Road. This free 12'' appears to be a tribute to the late Greg Ham and features a new interview with the bands Ron Strykert. Did some reading up on the mastering engineer of the 12'' and is Simon Gibson who did all the Beatles remastered albums and many other classic records. Well worth checking out! More info here: http://whocanitbe.bigcartel.com

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