Customer Reviews

Counting the Beat

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Co-singer/songwriter of Split Enz, Phillip Judd, kicked off this artsy noodling. The Swingers are one the quirkiest bands to emerge in the 80's. A three-piece line-up, that was utterly wonderful.
Most people I know couldn't handle Phil's voice. Personally I think it was great. And his guitar playing, as decribed in Trouser Press, seemed to be that of multi-layered rubberbands
all strewn and stummed together. An apt description.
Cohesive playing throughout, the trio put them out there wildly.
This album got played most often. As seen in other reviews, you literally go through them. I had two vinyl copies. One either loved them or not, but for me they were so uplifting, that to spin their vinyl was the best part of the day. You sang and screamed every song through to the end. It must have been the hooks, they were abundant, and the exuberance in which they played. Frantic! No particular songs to suggest.... The whole thing is to recommend.
I found this to be a treasure of goodies.
Sadly there was only this album, but you can find them live in the Australian indie film Starstruck, where they also played back-up group to Joey Kennedy, star of the film.
Judd also went solo, as The Swinger, and made an lp, plus the later band he formed with Noel Crombie of Split Enz called Schnell Fenster(Fast Window in German, whatever that meant). However, none of the efforts matched the fun of The Swingers.
Sort of a one-off deal. You technically didn't need more.
But I sure would have LOVED to have seen four more Swingers records made. Think it would have killed me, like an over-dose of mescaline or something.
Well, that's how I felt about them. But then I love Australia and New Zealand for the way they meander through Anglo-pop.
Try The Tall Dwarfs/Hello Cruel World, or The Clean, Chills or Bats from New Zealand.
I think anyone loving The Swingers, might find hope in Flying Nun
Records artists, although they are different.
The Undertones, Rezillos and B52's are also comparable fun for the time.

The Swingers came out of the 1980s, but their music--like that of the Police and English Beat--is never stuck in any era, but always sounds fresh and young. Their beat is wildly danceable, tempered by smart and sly lyrics, and their artfully off-key harmonies make the whole a kind of strange and joyous pop perfection. I never grew tired of this album when I was 16, but listened to it constantly as a sort of soundtrack--a very fitting soundtrack for such a joyous time. 17 years later, this remains one of my absolute favorite albums.

The Swingers were a force in the early Eighties in Denver. No party mix tape was complete without a few selections from this (then) LP. The LP was difficult to find then and copies and tapes were swapped regularly.

I wore out (literally) two copies of this LP during those days and finally found a third copy. Now on CD this is an essential purchase for those who collect Eighties music.

I can't believe that there is a cd of this! I also wore out the LP. One of the best bands ever.

I love this CD! Of course with Phil Judd being my favorite all-time singer, I am rather biased, but suffice to say, the kudos this recording has received from other reviewers (well, those who LIKED it anyway), are well-deserved. I can't really add anything to their critiques, so I'll leave it at that.

A few aside notes though- The vinyl US version of Counting the Beat is a bit different than this cd version, as is the original Oz/NZ version, which was titled "Practical Joker". All three of these are a bit different. Personally, the US LP is my favorite except that it lacks a few of the songs included on "Practical Joker" and this cd version. I happen to like the mixes on the US version the best, personally. There are other Swingers songs out there on various releases- the Starstruck Soundtrack, the NZ-released "AK 79", the NZ-released LP "Hits and Myths '83", and a few other places. If you're really into the Swingers, I recommend tracking them down. They're worth the trouble.

You can find Phil Judd's music various places as well via the Suburban Reptiles, his solo stuff, Split Enz, various movie an television soundtracks, the Unth!nkables, etc..etc.. It's not easy to locate it all, but definitely worth the trouble. [...]

Having found out about these guys as many have, via the movie Starstruck with Jo Kennedy I took a chance and bought this due to loving the music in that movie. It was a good purchase.

There are alot of great tunes on this disk such as Ayatolla, One Track Mind, Counting the Beat (the biggest hit they ever had), ect... In all honesty nothing on the disk is bad. It is the type of music that takes a few listens, the songs are quite unique from each other.

I gave it 4 and not 5 stars because while the music is good the stuff they did in Starstruck is better, "Monkey in Me" and the title track "Starstruck" being probably the 2 best songs the swingers ever did and some of the best from the 80's. You can see alot of the videos for these songs on youtube to get an idea of the type of music.

Pop Perfection or... too much filler. I can see why they said too much filler. These songs are deceptively complex and advanced. Phil makes you listen closely, there is much nuance to hear. Phil's melody lines are complex, seemingly disjointed at times but always brilliant once you "get" what he's doing. His influences are many from English Dance Hall Vaudeville to balls to the wall rock, to avant guarde but particularly stringed instruments, folk/bluegrass even.

Careful listening will reward those who put in the effort. Songs can be listened to as pure pop, and they are great that way, to serious composition, that part takes effort.

Phil's next album had to wait 16 years, and it was worth the wait. Have to buy it from Phil himself though online at his site.

I actually searched far and wide for a Swingers CD due to the fact they are well represented on the truly excellent "Starstruck" soundtrack (not available on CD). Not easy - I ended up ordering this from New Zealand (far far from me) via eBay. As it turns out, the one song the soundtrack and this CD have in common "One Good Reason" (titled "Gimme Love" on soundtrack) is also, by far, the best. "Flak" and the title song are OK, but the rest weren't even worth ripping, IMHO.

A real mixture here. My favourites are True or False, More, Counting the Beat and Ayatollah. Otherwise, there is too much filler. Forget Practical Joker, Five O'Clock Shadow, Funny Feeling, Hit the Beach and Distortion. These songs are rock bottom. Unless you are a big fan of Split Enz and/or Phil Judd, this album is a bit risky.