Thirty years of The Meanies? Who woulda thunk? The last show of theirs’ I attended probably lasted 30 minutes. While the celebratory tour winds its way around Australia, boutique label Fantastic Mess has dropped this heavyweight Méaniee à Trois on us in a run of 300.
The A side keeps you guessing where it’s going with odd tempo changes. It's a fine slice of freakbeat that works its way into your head and up to a freak-out before skidding to a halt. It’s a long way removed from The Meanies’ early buzzsaw blasts and there are shades of Sun God Replica (Link’s other band) on a sunny day here.
Flip the disc and you’ll initially hear Alvin and the Chipmunks if you haven’t noticed that it plays at 33rpm. Once tracking at the right speed, “Never” and “The Reason Why” are Link Meanie songs and good ones at that. You Am I effortlessly manage to sound like the revved-up Meanies on their cover tune, "Never". Davey Lane's rollicking guitar and a scorched earth Tim Rogers vocal carry the song.
On "The Reason Why", Even sounds just like Even - which is to say guitar pop of a high order. Chugging and tuneful. Glenno Smith did the artwork and it's almost needless to say you need this. Hand-numbered and my vinyl is baby poo brown.
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