MENTAL NOTES

If there ever was a really, really strange album out there that defied categorization, stretching beyond the norm of conventional rock music, with arguably the weirdest looking dudes since the NY Dolls, Kiss or the Mothers of Invention , then you have never heard of Split Enz from lushly exotic New Zealand! Obviously, offshoot Crowded House (as well as the Potter films) has helped the land of the Maori Kiwis reach the world's artistic mainstream but back in the mid 70s , this bizarroid troupe of characters certainly made their release "Mental Notes" a prime candidate for rock posterity. There are few albums as difficult to describe as this one, so I will give it my absolute best effort but you need to take the plunge yourself. "Walking down the Road" is a rollicking musical adventure full of whimsical passages, odd turns and weird churns, with singer Tim Finn's distinctive voice leading the way. The nearly 8 minute "Under the Wheel" suggests almost symphonic trappings (Mellotron, synths and organs) that simply elevate the affected, trembling and theatrical vocals (Phil Judd) to "scratch your head" levels, absolutely progressive in more ways than meets the ear, jumbling guitars, synths and piano all conspiring to confuse and delight while the bass and drums flutter along , inspired. "Amy Darling" veers into an almost barroom ditty, raise your glasses mates! Funky piano, sudden time changes and instrumental audacity keep the ears focused and the mind puzzled. Finn's vocals amuse, cajole, crackle and shine, with slight hints of Mercury, Chapman, McCartney, Cousins, Bowie, Ferry and some of the wilder New Wave acts, best exemplified by "So Long For Now", a roller coaster ride that consistently keeps one off guard. Bopping bass and tortuous lead guitar propels this short sucker with sheer aplomb. "Stranger than Fiction" is the masterpiece track here, a near 7 minute concoction loaded with symphonic structure as synths and piano set the tone, the guitar drawing the main melody replete with bluesy reverence and all, suddenly spilling into dissonance, drunken vocals, special effects and a return to the main theme. Truly splendid stuff that is totally ORIGINALthat exudes a certain charm that cannot be described, Tim Finn acting as if on a drama stage, capable of massive emotions (with that instantly recognizable 'down under" twinge). Applause, please because it continues with another jewel. "Time for a Change" initiates like a Wakeman etude, courtesy of Eddie Rayner (probably the main reason for Split Enz' presence in PA), a Gershwinesque vocal that is simply awesome (the man can sing), the mellotron set the lead guitar's table while the drums kick in perfectly, succulent stuff. "Maybe" sounds nearly like a Ringo Starr tune, "boom boom tchak" nicely with funny vocals, a wonderful delivery that predates the Crowded House style but in a wilder manner. "Titus" is another short oddity, mandolin leading the way, piano, more trembling vocals (Judd) dueling with Finn's more fluid delivery with a windswept synth solo doing the trick here. "Spellbound" weaves an initial web of intrigue, an indistinct collage of sounds , until the inexorable bass shores up the deal with languid teasing, exploding into a mid-tempo melody , drenched in overwrought theatricality, Wally Wilkinson unleashing a chirping lead guitar solo that only heightens the pace and the mood. Bizarre, I tell you, bizarre. This unique album ends with the 0.33 second sonic pastiche "Mental Notes" that only hint at their rather frenzied sense of musical sanity. A masterful career would emanate from this first blood. 4 all black rugby balls.