Sounds 6 Dec 1980

Howard the duck keeps his nose clean by David Arnoff

Play For Keeps ***** by Dave McCullough THE title and the picture on the simple white sleeve (our heroes murkily viewed relaxing at rehearsals) and the admirable £3.99 price tag should suffice to tell the tale.

The good news is that - Play' is almost a taunting title and it hides a live album that in the context - takes some beating. 'Play' - against all the (tatty - pointless live albums odds) - is magnificent.

'Play' reflects guitarist John McGeoch's departure and the instatement of the obscure Robin Simon. We needn't have worried. Simon's contributions - welcomely much harder and terser even than McGeoch's come out of - 'Play' second only to Dave Formula's - whose keyboard playing is nothing short of inspired on the night. Together with (and forgive the Bartonism) Simon on the right speaker and Formula weaving his way across from the left - they make a hard relentless sound that is much more competitive than Magazine have been in the past. It's almost as if Simon is fighting it out to prove himself and he's having a hard time against an on-form Formula.

The sound-they create comes across in a very rounded - ball-like form. Recorded at Melbourne in September of this year - the sound quality is neither glossy and empty nor murky and woolly - neither 'Eagles Live' nor 'Totales Turns'. You can pick out bits and pieces as you like - but everything is clear and unmistakably Live. Magazine - shock horror - are enjoying themselves - and the result - on the first side at least - is something the Stooges or MC5 would not walk away from. This is fierce.

Since One takes care of the sheer sweat and the dancing. 'And now - three little words' - is the Devoto intro for 'Give Me Everything' - a fitting opener and a song - like a few others here - that suddenly makes me aware of the great sexuality in Magazine's music and - particularly - Devoto's lyrics. There is a pride - but also a passion here - the latter bordering frequently on overt violence - which verifies the Stooges etc parallels. 'Floorboards' follows and highlights the mood of Magazine The Band at any rate on the night - Formula climaxing the song with a breathtaking - snazzy piano piece. Again - it's a departure from the vinyl version and again it's an improvement.

Similarly - 'Permafrost' and 'The Light Pours Out Of Me' - the two stand-out moments maybe - have an unrivalled incision and bite - with even Devoto stopping aghast in 'Permafrost' after one of Simon's guitar breaks.

Side the second (forgive the boring in order review - but 'Play' is very much an album of two distinct sides) slows down the pace to leave room for Devoto's theatricality. 'Parade' is superb - full of drama. 'Thank You For- is great because it's given more air to breathe than on 'Soap'. 'Twenty Years Ago 'and 'Definitive Gaze' are joined wittily as if to stress the tweedle dum and tweedle dee of present-day - revitalised Magazine - how they can improvise through pure funk - and then use the same vigour in the stately grandeur of 'Gazes' utter rationalities. Sly Stone meets John Barry and it works a treat.

'Play' is a live album that breathes real life. It is not dead - nor blanched - nor greedy. It consolidates Magazine's future whilst enhancing their (neglected) past. Amazingly - it joins its big sister 'Soap' as one of the year's best albums. A frightening world is an interesting world to live in. The forbidden city starts here.

Sounds 06 dec 80

1. [Give Me Everything]
2. [Song From Under The Floorboards, A]
3. [Permafrost]
4. [The Light Pours Out Of Me]
5. [Model Worker]
6. [Parade]
7. [Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)]
8. [Because Your Frightened]
9. [Twenty Years Ago]
10. [Definitive Gaze]

MAGAZINE : "Play" (Virgin V2184)