Cuts [Import, Original recording remastered]

Toy Love (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 12, 2007)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Import, Original recording remastered
• Label: Flying Nun
• ASIN: B000AHJ932
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #211,464 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Squeeze

2. Rebel

3. Don't Ask Me

4. Sheep

5. I Don't Mind

6. Swimming Pool

7. Death Rehearsal

8. Bride Of Frankenstein

9. Toy Love Song

10. Photographs Of Naked Ladies

11. Bedroom

12. Crunch

13. Ain't It Nice

14. Cold Meat

15. Don't Catch Fire

16. Green Walls

17. Pull Down The Shades

18. Frogs

19. Fast Ostrich

20. Amputee Song

See all 39 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

25 years after the fact comes the news that Flying Nun have worked in conjunction with the band on preparing an all-encompassing 2CD audio collection of Toy Love songs, entitled 'Cuts'. One disc includes the first two singles, the entire Toy Love album and the b-sides from the third single. The second disc is just as packed; with the bulk of this material being previously unreleased tracks recorded in demo format, this disc is a magic collection of material recovered from the vaults. 'Cuts' also includes a 32 page booklet full of photos, lyrics, gig posters and personal recollections from the band and their associates. All the tracks have been digitally remastered for issue on compact disc for the first time ever.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars NZ New Wave: live, on radio, in studio, September 29, 2005

By 

John L Murphy "Fionnchú" (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cuts (Audio CD)

This new wave New Zealand quartet is best known for spawning Chris Knox, formerly of punks The Enemy and later of DIY pioneers Tall Dwarfs--along with musical partner/foil Alec Bathgate, who joined Knox in Toy Love. Also present was Paul Kean, later of the Bats. This compilation has their album on one disc and their live & radio sessions (with some songs not on their studio album) on disc two. It's pricy as an import, but a decent curio for fans of the Flying Nun sound that became more sophisticated by later in the 80s.

At the start of that decade, Toy Love presents, on their official record, a rather mixed jumble of outstanding Buzzcocks-inspired tunes which elevate this record high (for me as a Buzzcocks fan), but too many that also lower its impact, with plodding, stammering, keyboard-heavy and lyrically aimless songs that at times are painful to hear. For every inspired one like "Frogs," with its piano breaking into a few seconds of Beethoven among the proverbial kitchen sink mess of instruments bashing away, there's a "Swimming Pool," clumsily using the Stones' "Get Off of My Cloud" to no real purpose. The sequencing of the record seems random, and offsets any individual song momentum from building or distracting the listener away from the more pedestrian, rambling, or lethargic exercises in New Wave.

Echoes of The Jam, XTC, the Damned, and many second or third-tier new wave British bands reverberate here, but much of the effort is to little lasting achievement when it comes to memorable songcraft. Better is disc two, when--as hinted at on parts later of disc one--a Howard Devoto/Magazine influence actually enlivens the rather dour tunes, making them an off-kilter Buzzcocks impression suiting naturally their inspiration. The looser feel of disc two shows off the band to much better effect, and is recommended. I know that the band had considered the studio album somewhat of a disappointment, and the production seems quite dated, further impeding the band's attempts to make new their version of New Wave NZ style.

So, the handsome color packaging, extremely detailed (lots of small type) liner notes, and looks at posters and inner sleeves makes up, as does the added disc, for the shortcomings of the studio album. On balance, then, three stars at best for the album proper and four for the second disc and five for the archival and graphic value (great cover art!) of this package.