The following Men at Work album reviews were published in Used Records & Tapes #1 and #2 [RoosterCow Press]
Men at Work Album Review: Business as Usual
For some reason, saxophones were completely acceptable in the 1980s. Socially, musically, thematically, perhaps inexplicably they were completely, totally acceptable to have in your band and on your records. Just ask the Psychedelic Furs or Romeo Void—hell, ask The Boss! You can certainly ask Men at Work. M@W gave us plenty of woodwind to think about and offered us some very typical ‘80s cover art on their debut album, Business as Usual.
The record cover leaves little to be desired. Black and yellow and white. Not quite as colorful as a Culture Club cover. Perhaps CBS was trying to save on production costs. They certainly didn’t expect these Aussies to break as big as they did, even as they had them out on the road supporting Fleetwood Mac. Break they did, however.
Business is full of catchy pop songs that capitalize on two central themes of ‘80s music: reggae and alienation. Colin Hay’s deadpan vocal delivery, and the Scotsman’s rolling Rs, helped define the band as quirky and endearing and certainly played up their image as zany Aussies.
Who Can It Be Now?
“Who Can it Be Now” was a smash hit, as was “Be Good Johnny,” with its title sung repetitively as Colin’s voice strained. “Down Under” was of course the monster hit. Only Ian Anderson could rock a flute as hard as Greg Ham. Even if the Men were accused (and found guilty) of stealing it from an Australian nursery rhyme, that flute line remains an iconic part of ‘80s popular music.
The Business album also contains a standard android-themed song, “Helpless Automaton”. “Down By the Sea” is a great tune, but it never would have cut it as a single and, wisely, it wasn’t released as one.
The Men went to work on a follow up, releasing Cargo a year later. However, earning “Best New Artist of 1982” accolades was the kiss of death, according to Colin, and they never would duplicate the chart-topping success of their debut. Men at Work continued on over the decades in various incarnations. Greg Ham took his own life in 2012. His friends, including Hay, believe the major cause of his unhappiness stemmed from the 2009 copyright infringement suit brought against the band for the song “Down Under.”
Men at Work also enjoyed the honor of having a photograph of them cut out of a magazine and taped to the inside of my locker in 7th Grade, although it is almost certain they were unaware of this.
Men at Work Album Review: Cargo
I was a fan of Men at Work in ‘82 and ‘83. After Queen, they were probably my favorite band in junior high school. The “Down Under” single was one of the first 45s I ever bought. In my 8th-grade homeroom class (taught by Mrs. Popp, no lie [see Culture Club review in this issue]), we all got to bring in singles every Friday to play for the class. We could only play one side. I brought in “Down Under” but spun the b-side, “Crazy” instead. You could hear “Down Under” on the radio 24 times a day, but I wanted to turn a few tween heads onto the other sounds of Men at Work.
The Kiss of Death
If you bought a copy of Used Records and Tapes #1 then you may have skimmed my review of Men at Work’s debut album Business as Usual. It was a monster hit for these Aussie lads at the dawn of the ‘80s. The album won them a Grammy in 1982 for “Best New Artist” (aka “The Kiss of Death,” according to singer/guitarist Colin Hay). It was all downhill from there. There was Cargo though.
What the Business album cover lacked in color, Cargo more than made up for, thanks no doubt to a bigger production budget. Released in April of 1983, the album would climb to number one in that band’s home country/continent, number two in New Zealand, and number three in the States. Some critics at the time thought it dull and the songwriting weak compared to its predecessor, but that didn’t hurt sales.
The ten-song album features four singles, one of which is the lead-off track, “Dr. Heckyll and Mr. Jive.” It’s a decent enough tune, but not on par with any of the hits of its predecessor. “Overkill,” another single, follows. It’s a mid-tempo rocker featuring Greg Ham’s sax and Colin’s vocals building up into a strained crescendo in typical M@W fashion. The third track is the non-single non-Hay-written tune “Settle Down My Boy” written by guitarist Ron Strykert who sings lead. It’s a nice break before a few filler tunes run out the first side.
Make No Mistake
Side two kicks off with the third single, “It’s a Mistake,” which rights the ship somewhat. It’s a war tune (presumably anti-) contemplating the end of the Cold War and features a cool ascending/descending guitar solo and then the predictable buildup to the end. “High Wire,” the third single, is a meandering song featuring a very 80s-sounding chorus.
“I Like To,” written by Strykert and sung by Ham sounds like an Adam Ant song but without a good hook, cool percussion, or originality. “No Restrictions” is another filler track that ends the album. It’s got blasts of flute but is otherwise forgettable.
Again, not the same caliber of stuff that made Business resonate with the public even though it did make the cash registers ring. The best of a batch couldn’t overcome the mediocre stuff and it signaled the end of the Men’s career as hitmakers.
Cargo would be followed by Two Hearts in ‘85. That album was met with the critical and commercial disappointment it almost surely deserved.
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