The Mutton Birds Albums (6)
What The Critics Say
Envy of Angels has a higher percentage of remarkable songwriting, as anyone who's heard the smooth, flowing, lovely-but-not-wimpy "April," "Come Around," "She's Been Talking," and "Come Around" can attest. But that's not such a bad tradeoff for an LP that sounds more immediate; the self-produced Rain, Steam & Speed is less streamlined than Envy producer Hugh Jones' otherwise typically brilliant productions. And a good four or five of its tracks stand up to the greatest New Zealand tunes ever, by the Chills, Straightjacket Fits, Bats, Clean, etc. In fact, marry those bands' burbling, mannered, subconscious pop mastery with a more strident guitar sound and more upfront presentation, and you have the brave-sounding, luxuriant, gorgeous pop of "Green Lantern," "As Close as This," "Pulled Along By Love," and "Ray." This predilection peaks on a radiant accomplishment called "Winning Numbers." It arrests right from the brief, lofty, descending a cappella vocal it begins with, like diving off into a pool. The melody and lyrics are stirring -- insisting he would rip up a winning lottery ticket, singer Don McLashan prefers his life over those of the rich and famous -- and his crystalline, sterling voice fits the circular guitar trills wonderfully. The band even pulls off a country track, with McLashan sighing that he's had enough of "The Goodbye Drug," a drug he "used to like." So far along from their naive, self-titled 1992 debut on kiwi label Bag, the Mutton Birds have modestly but assuredly stepped into the current void and reminded listeners of the luxurious pleasures and romantic mysteries pop still can seek. (www.muttonbirds.com) ~ Jack Rabid, The Big Takeover, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Instead of the usual "we've put out four LPs, let's cash in with a live LP" routine, the Mutton Birds have a better idea: Why not release a sparkling, immaculate acoustic show (with usual bass and drums) in its entirety without overdubs instead? Recorded July 7, 1997, at London's intimate 12 Bar Club, this is a fantastic treat. Based around the then-current Envy of Angels, it's terrific to hear how well these lush songs stand up when pared to essentials, without the protective cover of Hugh Jones' comely production. In fact, they're drop-dead brilliant, their hooks jumping out at you like an over-affectionate dog happy to see you. Down, boy! And when the Muttons reach back to the equally brilliant second LP Salty (don't miss the worried "Esther," though they should have tried out "The Heater!") and the lesser first LP, the golden moments don't abate. Singer/songwriter Don McGlashan has a Midas touch where it comes to such mannered but beaming pop, with his so-likable, confident voice never wavering from pitch. "At a time like that you wouldn't care about your job/Or your mortgage/Or the fight you had with your wife," he sings with merry conviction on the Mutton Birds' "A Thing Well Made," and he might as well be talking about encountering the transformative power of music such as this, refreshed in new clothes. Certainly, the recording is so immediate, it makes you think you're in the third row, happily swaying to Envy's "Trouble With You." A truly good job, and a case of "wish I was there," Angle of Entry is easily ordered on the band's web site. With each release, they prove yet again they're a special band in a barren era! (muttonbirds@easynet.co.uk) ~ Jack Rabid, The Big Takeover, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Envy of Angels could have been recorded ten years earlier considering its invocation of the new south -- in particular the moodiness of Dumptruck -- not to mention similarities to more commercial guitar rock of the same period, such as that of 54-40. Perhaps it isn't a coincidence that Hugh Jones, who also worked with Dumptruck, produced Envy of Angels. He renders the Mutton Birds' guitar strum and jangle in more solemn than bright tones, which suits the sometimes poetic lyrics and unusual chord progressions. There are plenty of hooks in these songs, with "April" and "While You Sleep" being only two standouts. Despite the album's strengths, there is an obscure quality about Envy of Angels that will preserve the Mutton Birds' cult status while rewarding those listeners who find them. ~ Greg Adams, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
This second album by the New Zealand rock group is a counterpart follow-up to the exceptional songs and homespun feel of their debut, with 14 themes from Don McGlashan's increasingly remarkable songbook. In the Kiwi pop canon, the Mutton Birds may fall a little too mainstream for the Flying Nun stable sound of the Chills, the Clean, and the Bats, but are still too quirky for the crafty MOR sound of Neil Finn, Tim Finn, and Dave Dobbyn. The band enjoyed mainstream success in Australia and New Zealand but only made slight inroads into the U.S.A. and European audience -- possibly accredited to the topical Kiwi-centric themes that McGlashan uses as song narratives. His songwriting craft is highly sophisticated, often using evocative themes that examine the dramas of daily life in neurotic detail -- the effect can be simultaneously heart-wrenching and humorous. "The Heater" and "Ngaire" are pure pop of another era -- a '60s feel reminiscent of the Byrds inhabits many of McGlashan's songs. On the highly literate evocations of "When the Wind Comes Round" and "Queens English" he calls to mind David Byrne of Talking Heads at his most blue. The closing track, "Don't Fight It Marsha It's Bigger Than Both of Us," is, in fact, a remake of a 1983 hit by Don McGlashan's former band, Blam Blam Blam, which is a verbatim remake -- only without the dated drum machine that drives the original and with McGlashan's voice considerably matured. The album is mixed by studio whiz Tchad Blake, who works the psychedelic tone that the band tracked themselves in a low-tech setting to excellent effect. The standout track, "Anchor Me," is a sublime ballad featuring Jane Dodd from the Abel Tasmans, which is worth owning this album for alone. ~ Skip Jansen, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
On their 1992 debut, this New Zealand rock group was the vehicle for the extraordinary songwriting skills of Don McGlashan, a mainstay of the New Zealand pop scene who was as ubiquitous with artsy post-punk as Chris Knox in his homeland during the '80s. With this group he went for a total "Kiwiana" aesthetic with a strikingly topical lyric-writing approach that set them apart from the often-oblique sound of anti-podean avant rock. A good comparison for this album would be with the work of Australian songsmiths the Go-Betweens and Paul Kelly, who mine similar oblique themes of daily life and transform them into eloquent, poetic pop music. The quartet went mainstream in New Zealand and Australia with a unique sound which falls somewhere between the crafty, FM-friendly songwriting of Neil Finn and Dave Dobbyn and the edgy alternative guitar rock sound of the Clean, Chills, and Verlaines. "Dominion Road," "A Thing Well Made," and "She's Like a City" exhibit McGlashan at his best and the uncanny appropriation of the '60s psychedelic hit "Nature" is a standout track with a catchy refrain originally recorded by New Zealand pop godfathers the Fourmyula. The Mutton Birds' album was recorded in a low-tech 16-track studio and in a practice room by the band, giving it a unique lo-fi ambience that characterized the sound of New Zealand rock and comes highly recommended to fans of the Flying Nun scene. ~ Skip Jansen, All Music Guide
