 Men at Work You know how people say that The White Album would have made a great single album? Well, Business as Usual and Cargo similarly would have made a great single album. Unfortunately, they were two separate ones. Men at Work's debut album was the first LP I recall consciously going out to buy, and in many respects it still sounds as fresh as it did in 1982, though the big singles ("Who Can It Be Now?" and "Down Under") have since been anthologized and "80s at 8"-ed nearly to death. The band's jittery energy and naïve political posturing still come across as charming, even when they're taking on the major issues of the world, such as societal machinization ("Helpless Automaton") and callous wordplay ("People Just Love to Play With Words"). At last, someone has taken a real stand! Business as Usual contains a bit less filler than its follow-up (Cargo), though many of the tracks dissipate instantly once they're over … though I've heard this album countless times, I couldn't tell you how "Touching the Untouchables" goes. But it's programmed and paced well, so that just when you feel like you're settling in for a nap, along comes a "Be Good Johnny" to perk things back up. Of the non-famous songs on here, "Underground" and "Down By the Sea" are solid tracks, much in the same popped-up and smoothed-over Police vein that Men at Work did so well. The overall effect once you reach the end is a feeling that you've heard a much better album than you actually have, but if this isn't real brilliance, you have to hand it to these Aussies for their crafty sleight-of-hand at making you believe. It's very much an 80s pop record, with a few huge standouts, a few also-rans, and a whole bunch of sound masquerading as song. But that's no different from most indie rock records these days, come to think of it … in fact, Business as Usual is undeniably more solid than your typical Joan of Arc record. Maybe more along the lines of The Strokes, who will seem similarly curious 20 years from now. The expanded CD reissue adds a couple of b-sides ("Crazy" and "F-19") as well as a pair of live tracks, oddly culled from a 1996 concert instead of period performances. Not that I'd necessarily be able to tell the difference between 1996 live Men at Work and 1982 live Men at Work, but come on, I'm still a purist about it.
Review by Morris Knight |