What was that thing?

The Able Tasmans - A Cuppa Tea And A Lie Down (1987) ***

The Able Tasmans - Hey Spinner (1990) ***

Nominated by: Kev

Music club: Wander to Wozza's

Playlist addition:  What Was That Thing?

The Abel Tasmans band was a new one for me. I think I've mentioned before how this and a lot of NZ/Flying Nun music passed me by at the time - life was full in the late eighties/early nineties with 3 then 4 children - making four rug rats under 7. Plus, we moved from Three Kings to Wakefield (Tasman). So musical scenes passed me by for a while.

A Cuppa Tea and a Lie Down (1987's debut) and Hey Spinner! (1990) are a lot of fun. What's not to love in these toe tappin cheeky chappie songs??

I've picked Hey Spinner! as the better of the two from my pov. Not only does it have the mighty Grey Lynn on it but overall, it's better produced and played. It's a fuller soundscape in many ways. A Cuppa etc is fine as it goes and I love the kitchen sink approach but like a lotta bands on their debuts it sounds at times like they were still learning about each other and their instruments (it has a quirky innocence so no negativity implied).

I also like Hey Spinner! more because it has so many prog flourishes throughout (as well as that distinctive kiwi brand of indie-pop). Hey Spinner! (the song) and Hold Me I are cases in point - deffo progtastic. HS! is the longest track I note as an aside.

Other tracks I really enjoyed were the first two poppy ones and The Theory of Continual disappointment. The only one I didn't enjoy much was Hold Me II (despite the trickster pun). Just got a bit too discordant so I tended to skip it.

As well as the great proggy bits they are also quite folk influenced it seems to me - particularly on the debut but also at times on Hey Spinner! I love that - makes them and their sound quite distinctive. Michael Fay is very folk oriented for my money.

I'm so glad I finally heard some Abel Tasmans' songs. The Bats still rule the FN roost for me (Ha ha! Bats/roost. Ahem) in that they most align with my musical taste but I enjoyed the ATs' meaty beaty big and bouncy approach. For me - I'd rate them as pretty fine!