Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Kajagoogoo
Label: EMI Records
Release: 1985
Length: 40:03
Rating: 4/5
There’s something ironic about the fact that British new wave heroes Kajagoogoo recorded their third album, and for years their last studio one, »Crazy Peoples Right to Speak«, while living in the US, since over there they’re still written off as pop-rock ‘one-day flies’, given that their only truly big hit in America was »Too Shy«. On top of that, the only Kajagoogoo member the average American who grew up in the eighties could probably name is cult singer Limahl, even though by the time »Crazy Peoples Right to Speak« came together he’d already been out of the band for two years. Kajagoogoo, or Kaja, as they were calling themselves by then so Americans could pronounce the name more easily, were in a spot where their commercial success was melting away fast, though the remaining trio, after drummer Jez Strode left in 1984, didn’t lose much sleep over it. Strode was replaced by session drummer Dave Mattacks, a longtime member of folk-rock legends Fairport Convention, which actually did their sound a lot of good.
Nick Beggs, the singer and bassist/Chapman Stick player who had steered the band into art rock waters on the previous album, the excellent »Islands« (1984), tried to keep a balance between synth pop and art rock on »Crazy Peoples Right to Speak«, which means the band still had the appetite for forging radio hits as well as for some more experimental sonic adventures. »Crazy Peoples Right to Speak« didn’t quite reach the sophistication and experimental edge of its predecessor, but it still delivered a handful of seriously fun moments. The opening track, which kicks off with colorful synth textures and unusually spirited guitar passages backed by Beggs’ distinctive, signature bass lines, gives you a nice peek at where the band was sonically at the time. Shy touches of dance music are laced with subtle rhythmic nuances, while the band shows off its knack for hypnotic choruses.
With the synth pop evergreen »Shouldn’t Do That«, drenched in indescribable romance, Kaja made their last hit, though when it came out it was nowhere near as popular as some of their early triumphs. The unmistakably nostalgic chorus sits on melodic synth structures while electronic rhythms keep the mood playful throughout. Beggs’ charismatic vocals make sure this sarcastically tinged love confession is delivered with remarkable fire. On »Your Appetite«, another synth pop effort with solid hit potential, you can hear for the first time on the album the band’s knack for weaving jazzy rhythmic influences into a melodic base. Beggs, a great innovator on the Chapman Stick, serves up some seriously fun lines here, while guitarist Steve Askew impresses with a short but witty guitar solo. The fact is that with every new Kajagoogoo album Askew grew bolder as a guitarist and kept stepping further into the spotlight.
»Rivers« features a series of colorful percussion patterns courtesy of guest percussionist Louis Jardim, while the central, symphonically minded arrangement, led by a mighty chorus, is a real treat for the gourmets. The sound of the synths, handled by Stuart Croxford Neale, was getting more and more sophisticated, leaning less and less on typical eighties electronic clichés. The strongly New Romantic-flavored »Sit Down And Shut Up«, where Beggs shows he can hit some of the higher vocal registers, is laced with grooving bass lines and a dance-rhythm pulse, while unusually sharpened guitar passages provide an all-around ambient energy. »Afraid Of You« is a much more rock-oriented number than Kajagoogoo usually went for, thanks to a bigger dose of dynamic guitar phrases, though the synth still supplies its recognizable ambient finesse, and Beggs’ vocals keep delighting with their charisma and expressive power.
The hugely fun »Jigsaw«, yet another sarcastic-romantic message, where the closing guitar harmonies clearly show how far Steve Askew had come, could be called a hit that never was, thanks to its excellent, almost magical chorus. Beggs gets generous help with the backing harmonies from both of his bandmates as well as from the guest female vocalists, which adds even more to the strongly nostalgic atmosphere. »Fear Of Falling«, dominated by Beggs’ melodic bass lines and ‘waxed’ synth textures, is soaked in a nonchalant mood that will easily whisk many a listener back to the eighties even today. A short instrumental section hints at a desire for art rock adventures, which on »Crazy Peoples Right to Speak« always stay somehow in the ‘background’.
»Charm Of a Gun«, another pop hit that never was, has ethereal arrangements and playful rhythmic ornaments that go well with the cynical lyrics. Askew brings in a bit of bluesy flavor with a short guitar solo, while the dominant synth sound successfully paves the way for a melodic chorus, which is joined at the end, in great style, by backing female vocals. The closing love ballad »You Really Take My Breath Away« sums up the end of an era pretty well with its melancholic mood, and the band’s exit from the scene, which followed soon after the album hit the shelves.
»Crazy Peoples Right to Speak« proved that the Kaja camp still had plenty of fuel for interesting adventures beyond the conventional new wave playbook, which makes it a real shame the band split after its release and only got back together (in the original lineup) in 2008.
Lineup
Nick Beggs – vocals, bass guitar, Chapman Stick, percussionSteve Askew – guitar, backing vocals
Stuart Croxford Neale – synthesizer, backing vocals, drum programming
GUEST MUSICIANS:
Dave Mattacks – drums
Louis Jardim – percussion
Michael Thompson – guitar
Annie McCaig – backing vocals
Lezlee Cowling – backing vocals
Production
Ken Scott
Tracklist
1. Do I
2. Shouldn’t Do That
3. Your Appetite
4. Rivers
5. Sit Down and Shut Up
6. Afraid of You
7. Jigsaw
8. Fear of Falling
9. Charm of a Gun
10. You Really Take My Breath Away
