Jaws of Life

Jaws of Life Artist: Hunters & Collectors
Label: Liberation Music Oz
Category: Music


Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Format: Import
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1
EAN: 9325583020025
ASIN: B0000AQS56


Release Date: 2003-08-14

Jaws of Life


Related Categories:

General General
Categories | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Australia & New Zealand Australia & New Zealand
Categories | International | Styles | Music
General General
Categories | Rock | Styles | Music
Pop Rock Pop Rock
Categories | Pop | Styles | Music
Rock Rock
Categories | Imports | Stores | Music

Tracks:

  1. 42 Wheels
  2. Holding Down to a D
  3. Way to Go Out
  4. I Couldn't Give It to You
  5. It's Early Days Yet
  6. I Believe
  7. Betty's Worry or the Slab
  8. Hayley's Doorstep
  9. Red Lane
  10. Carry Me
  11. Little Chalkie
  12. Towtruck
  13. Droptank
  14. Mouthtrap
  15. Lumps of Lead

Similar Items:

  1. Hunters & Collectors
  2. Fireman's Curse

Album Description

2003 reissue of the Aussie alternative act's 1984 album. 15 Tracks. Liberation.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars My Favorite Album of All Time.......2005-01-13

I know that's a bold statement, especially since we music fans only usually consent to narrowing it down to our top 10, but, if the proverbial gun were held to my head, I'd have to pick this one. And that's the way it's been since I first bought this on cassette (released by Slash Records here in the U.S.) way back in 1984. A few years ago, I was able to obtain this version on CD via a website which specialized in importing hard-to-find music from Australia and New Zealand into the U.S., but I am happy to see it re-released here so that it may potentially infect a wider audience. A (hopefully not too boring) note on discography: The proper Jaws of Life album begins with "42 Wheels" and ends with "Little Chalkie"; the last 4 songs were originally released on the Payload EP in 1982 (and also appeared on the original A&M Records release of their eponymous debut album, along with "Talking to a Stranger"). These are also excellent tracks, but are more in the vein of funky (albeit disturbing) dance numbers and have a different feel from the rest of the songs. For maximum enjoyment, my suggestion is to play these first and then go back to the first track. This will put things in chronological order and leave "Little Chalkie" as the proper dramatic conclusion to the whole thing.

Now on to the music itself. I can only describe this as some kind of alien form of experimental punk rock - with a horn section! This has about the most sinister sound of any music I've ever heard, driven by unrelenting bass lines and tribal drum beats, and punctuated by a distorted, quasi-bluesy guitar and bizarre synthesizer intrusions. Horns would normally add some relief and lightness, but here they just add to the weirdness and are in no way similar to what you're used to hearing in, say, ska music and the like. Also, as much as I enjoy this, it's not a party record! The pictures it paints of alcoholism, failed love, revenge, life on the road, the hopelessness of life in a dead-end town, and general despair and anger are unflinching and harrowing. It seems to portray a pretty bleak view of life in small-town Australia; but, now that I think about it, perhaps not too much more bleak than life in small-town America. As an American, it's odd that I would consider this my favorite album, because I don't quite understand all of the slang used, but I somehow seem to get the gist anyway. For example, I don't exactly know what it means to be holding down a "D", but it sure doesn't sound pretty! It's not complete black-upon-black darkness as there are cracks in the clouds afforded by the brutal humor. It's not really uplifting either, unless you consider the occasional moment of clarity experienced by terminal drug addicts to be uplifting.

Music Album:

  1. Neverneverland ~ Pink Fairies
  2. Atticus: Dragging the Lake, Vol. 2 ~ Various Artists
  3. How Old Are You? ~ Robin Gibb
  4. Live in La
  5. God Save the Smithereens ~ The Smithereens
  6. The Very Best of Kim Wilde ~ Kim Wilde
  7. Time in a Bottle/Greatest Love Songs ~ Jim Croce
  8. Judgement Time: From the Mouth of the Judged ~ Judge D
  9. From the Heart ~ Shadow Project
  10. The Best of ~ Sir Douglas Quintet , and Doug Sahm

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