Frenzy
	Produced by Dave Cook, Mallory Earl, Split Enz, David Tickle
	Released on 1979
	no chart information
	Find it at GEMM
SP 3153 cover [high resolution photo]

N ot content with simply speeding up the songwriting process for Waiata, A&M decided to remix Frenzy and release it in the US to a (hypothetically) hungry audience. Split Enz was at a stylistic crossroads when this was recorded, with one foot firmly planted in the defiant art rock of their idols and the other resting on the frontier of new wave. It’s not the smooth affair that subsequent albums (True Colours, Time and Tide) could boast of being, though a handful of tracks -- notably the ballads “Stuff and Nonsense” and “Semi-Detached” -- find their songwriting craft at full power. Most of the material is written by brothers Neil and Tim Finn, yet keyboardist Eddie Rayner contributes a real sleeper in “Marooned” and bassist Nigel Griggs converts the Enz into Australia’s answer to XTC on “Livin’ It Up.” A lot of the music here is catchy and intelligent, reflecting their influences (Genesis, Roxy Music) without sounding dated. “I See Red” has since become the album’s spokesman on various compilations, but the songs that follow it -- “Give It a Whirl,” “Master Plan,” “Betty” -- are more likely to please fans of the Enz’ poppier exploits. It’s all a little rough hewn when weighed against their better work (a charge many level at Squeeze’s pre-Argybargy output), but fans will take some of these songs to heart. Note that this version of Frenzy included then-unreleased tracks from the Rootin’, Tootin’ Luton Tapes recorded during the Frenzy sessions, and thus was of special interest to collectors. I don't own the original Australian version, so I can't speak to the difference between the two.

SP 3153 back cover

TRACK LISTING

1979 Australian release...

1. I SEE RED
2. GIVE IT A WHIRL
3. MASTER PLAN
4. FAMOUS PEOPLE
5. HERMIT McDERMITT
6. STUFF AND NONSENSE
7. MAROONED
8. FRENZY
9. THE ROUGHEST TOUGHEST GAME IN THE WORLD
10. SHE GOT BODY SHE GOT SOUL
11. BETTY
12. ABU DHABI
13. MIND OVER MATTER
    
    1981 remixed release...
    
1. I SEE RED    (Tim Finn)    3:15
2. GIVE IT A WHIRL    (Tim Finn/Neil Finn)    2:52
3. MASTER PLAN    (Tim Finn)    3:00
4. BETTY    (Tim Finn)    4:42
5. FRENZY    (Tim Finn/Eddie Rayner)    2:15
6. STUFF AND NONSENSE    (Tim Finn)    4:30
7. MAROONED    (Eddie Rayner)    2:15
8. HERMIT McDERMITT    (Tim Finn)    4:19
9. HOLY SMOKE    (Neil Finn)    3:15
10. SEMI-DETACHED    (Tim Finn)    5:05
11. CARRIED AWAY    (Neil Finn)    4:34
12. SHE GOT BODY    (Tim Finn)    2:55
13. MIND OVER MATTER    (Tim Finn/Neil Finn)    2:52
14. LIVIN' IT UP    (Nigel Griggs)    1:15

CREDITS

NOEL CROMBIE --
NEIL FINN --
TIM FINN --
MALCOLM GREEN --
NIGEL GRIGGS --
EDDIE RAYNER --
Dave Cook -- engineer
Hugh Padgham -- engineer
David Tickle -- engineer (1)
Raewyn Turner -- cover painting

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