1. “Squeeze” – A 2. “Rebel” – A+ 3. “Don’t Ask Me” – A 4. “Sheep” – A 5. “I Don’t Mind” – B+ 6. “Swimming Pool” – A- 7. “Death Rehearsal” – B+ 8. “Bride of Frankenstein” – B+ 9. “Toy Love Song” – B+ 10. “Photographs of Naked Ladies” – A 11. “Bedroom” – A- 12. “The Crunch” – A 13. “Ain’t It Nice” – A 14. “Cold Meat” – B+ 15. “Don’t Catch Fire” – A- 16. “Green Walls” – A- 17. “Pull Down the Shades – A++
18. “Frogs” – B 19. “Fast Ostrich” – A- 20. “Amputee Song” – A-
21. “Good Old Joe” – A-
Comments: Toy Love was an extremely short lived (’78-’79) band from New Zealand. Their legacy proved more lasting as Flying Nun decided to re-master the band’s first LP and include unreleased tracks in a greatest hits compilation called Cuts. The first disc in that set called The Authorized Version is a journey in new wave and punk rock. A song like “Squeeze” is a “Shout To The Top” before “Shout To The Top.” It’s one very rooted in New Wave before most of the world even knew of New Wave. Speaking of that kind of stuff, “Rebel” sounds like a reaction to the Mod Revival that was occurring around the time of Toy Love’s inception. Choice lyrics: “Credit cards and a maserati/Don’t go to films/Less he knows they’re arty/Likes Women’s Lib/And the Values Party/He’s a Rasta, he’s New Wave/Don’t do nothing/Less he’s told exactly/How to behave.” “Don’t Ask Me” takes a sojourn back to the days of the Velvets/early early punk rock ‘n roll. A catchy chorus “I don’t know where I’m going to” followed by a lush organ equals a neat song in “Sheep.” I’m not so sure I can really grasp how well constructed most of these songs are. Kiwi rock was functioning on a different plane than most of its genre counterparts, taking aim at a bunch of thriving sub-genres from outside the island nation. The transition from “Green Walls” to “Pull Down The Shades” might be the most brilliant of its kind that I’ve heard. I first heard “Pull” when Jay Reatard covered it for Stroke, a Chris Knox tribute album. I prefer the one on this album, with its absolute raw energy and hooky as hell vibe. It’s one of my favorite songs (in general). As a whole, I’d say this record is on the very good end of things. Only a few tracks truly standout, but the rest of them are worthy of some merit. It’s easy to see the influence that this may have had on ’80s alt-rock and ’90s and beyond post-punk/power-pop.
***DISC ONE***
1. “Pull Down The Shades” – Jay Reatard – A+ 2. “Rebel” – The Checks – A 3. “Ain’t It Nice” – The Bleeding Allstars – A+ 4. “Don’t Catch Fire” – Peter Gutteridge – B+ 5. “Luck or Loveliness” – The Chills – C 6. “Nothing’s Going to Happen” – David Kilgour – B- 7. “All My Hollowless to You” – The Crying Wolfs” – B+ 8. “Beauty” – Stephin Merritt – B 9. “Nostalgia’s No Excuse” – Portastatic – B+ 10. “Crush” – The Mint Chicks – B- 11. “I’ve Left Memories Behind” – Jay and Sam Clarkson – B- 12. “Burning Blue” – Sky Green Leopards – A
13. “The Slide” – Shayne Carter – B 14. “Grand Mal” -Pumice – C- 15. “Knoxed Out” – Hamish Kilgour – D+
***DISC TWO***
1. “Not Given Lightly” – Boh Runga – B+ 2. “Bodies” – Bill Doss – C+ 3. “Sign the Dotted Line” – Jeff Magnum – B- 4. “Lapse” – Bill Callahan – B+ 5. “Growth Spurt” – Genghis Smith – B+
6. “Coloured” – Yo La Tengo – B 7. “Dunno Much About Life but I Know How to Breathe” – AC Newman – C+ 8. “Glide” – Alec Bathgate – B+ 9. “Inside Story” – Don McGlashan – B 10. “The Outer Skin” – Sean Donnelly – B+ 11. “What Goes Up” – Lambchop – C 12. “Brave” – The Mountain Goats – B 13. “Round These Walls” – The Tokey Tones & Friends – A- 14. “Just Do It” – The Bats – A- 15. “My Only Friend” – Will Oldham – B+ 16. “It’s Love” – The Pyjama Party – B+ 17. “Becoming Something Other” – Jordan Luck – B- 18. “Driftwood” – The Verlaines – B+ 19. “Song of the Tall Poppy” – Lou Barlow – B- 20. “Nappin’ In Lapland” – The Nothing – C- 21. “Sunday Song” – Tall Dwarfs – B
Comments: Jay starts off this cover tribute album to Chris Knox, a highly inspirational rock musician from New Zealand, with “Pull,” originally more of a punk sharp shooter. Jay managed (talking about him in the past tense is depressing) to make it really sound like his own with a softer combination of acoustic and electric. It’s awesome to listen to Jay’s faux Brit accent come out when he chants “pool down the shaydes” haha if you know what I mean. Fun bubblegum rock comes on “Rebel” which reminds me of “Buddy Holly” by Weezer. I had to double check that JR didn’t sing “Ain’t” because it sounds literally like something he’d do. I’m going to say he definitely stole (or playfully borrowed) elements of this song and incorporated them on various releases, namely “It Ain’t Gonna Save Me” but others as well. “Don’t Catch Fire” is a slow erotic shoe-gazer, I guess. “I watch your strip tease till I have to go.” That’s an intense line. “Burning Blue” is comparable to softer Jay stuff so obviously it’s awesome! And check out that song title…look familiar?
Kids Like You & Me (KLYAM) 