tracks on LP: Dumb Waiters | Pretty In Pink | I Wanna Sleep With You | No Tears | Mr. Jones | Into You Like A Train | It Goes On | So Run Down | All Of This And Nothing | She Is Mine
Record label: CBS 84892
Released: 05/81
Purchased: 15/01/83
THE PSYCHEDELIC FURS: ‘Talk, Talk, Talk’ (CBS 84892) THE FURS have, to my mind, been sorely neglected by all and sundry. They have an ace up their sleeve in the shape of Butler Rep, whose voice vaguely resembles Bowie circa ‘Low’ but with an added rasp caused perhaps by smoking at least 200 cigarettes a day.
High on enthusiastic noise. but low on distinctive tunes unfortunately, the Furs have taken a positive swing away at least from the suicidal tones of “Sister Europe” on the first album, to be replaced by more commercial songs. A sensible move, prompted perhaps by their experiences on tour in the States.
No one else sounds quite like Butler — it only that fact could be exploited more, because the back-up is very ordinary. ‘Dumb Waiters’, a no-go single, and ‘I Wanna Sleep With You’ are side one’s best moments , although I can’t see the BEEB allowing.
Steve Lillywhite’s usually excellent standard on the mixing desk is definitely below par this time – the sound’s thin and muddy. The indistinct sound is a serious stumbling block for the Furs – it dogged them on their first album – and, if overcome, they would stand a much bettor chance.
This is such a frustrating album to listen to. You are aware of potential that isn’t realised as often as it should be. However, ‘It Goes On’ is one of those moments when the clouds clear long enough for some really straight ideas to emerge.
Butler’s favourite trick is to sing low patches on one note which becomes boring after 20 minutes. Still, I do love the quality of his voice but there is some fundamental re-thinking to be done and the Furs will have to find a way of writing stronger stuff than this. + + + (Record Mirror, 16/05/81)
THE PSYCHEDELIC FURS: Talk, Talk, Talk (CBS) Another helping of The Furs’ Wall Of Sound approach, as Duncan Kilburn’s sax merges with the band’s guitars to make up a kind of musical juggernaut, while Rep Butler’s deliberately blando voice forces its way past Vince Ealy’s echo-valley drums to take its place alongside the front line instruments.
The result is one of the most exciting sounds in contemporary rock and though nothing here is as mind-tugging as “Sister Europe” from their debut album and Rep’s lyrics are, once more, a mixture of the ingenious and the inept, “Talk, Talk, Talk” remains out of the usual rut. Well worth a place on your turntable. (8 out of 10) (Smash Hits, May 1981)
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