Customer Reviews

Frenzy

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The Split Enz pack a diverse load of toe tapping music into this CD. Neil and Tim Finn seem to be competing to see who can pen the best tune, reeling off such great numbers as I See Red, Hermit McDermitt, and Carried Away. This album was obviously recorded while the band's lineup and attitude were remarkably in tune! The raw intensity will win over even skeptics with this collection!

I bought "Frenzy" along with Split Enz other albums "Second Thoughts" and "Time and Tide", and I think each of these albums has it's own unique character. Frenzy has a party feel to it, with songs like "I see red", "Marooned", "She got body she got soul" and "Abu Dhabi",this album will definately get you dancin'. But it also hits the heart with "Stuff and Nonsense", such a poinant emotive song in a sea of rather playful tunes. I love the phrase in "Mind over Matter" -- "Mind over matter, I got my mind over my matter". From this album and Second thoughts it is quite evident that the musicians are having a blast, and creating great music as well.

...in Australia

Prior to this, they had two art-rock albums ('Mental Notes', and the re-recorded, slightly altered track choice of 'Second Thoughts', recorded in London with Phil Manzanera who felt he could improve on 'Mental Notes') - as well as the poppier 'Dizrhythmia'

I See Red wasn't initially included on 'Frenzy', and there would still be some vinyl copies around that don't include it - though presumably they're now collectors' items - and Give It A Whirl was supposed to be the single. However, I See Red saw Split Enz blast out of the starting gate and onto the charts, so Mushroom saw the sense in including it on 'Frenzy'

To me, Frenzy is the final album that had Tim Finn at the helm. True Colours (Split Enz best pop album, IMHO) was the changeover of the guard, and thereafter it was really Neil's band, until he finally broke away to form first The Mullanes and then Crowded House

Anyone who likes Frenzy should explore True Colours. But anyone who likes Mental Notes probably shouldn't listen beyond Second Thoughts

On Frenzy, Split Enz picks up where it left off on 1977's Dizrythmia (pop-grounded art rock) and at times adds a harder, not-quite-but-almost punk-y edge to the mix. Understand, Frenzy is by no means a punk rock album. But never before have the Enz rocked like they do on this album's leadoff track, "I See Red." The tight, surprisingly explosive guitar work of "I See Red" gets Frenzy powerfully out of the gate but still leaves room for the trademark piano work of Eddie Rayner. No other track on Frenzy approaches the raw energy of "I See Red," but the imprint of a stronger guitar presence is evident on several others (particularly "Give It A Whirl," "Hermit McDermitt," "Frenzy," and "Mind Over Matter"). As the guitars move to the foreground and Split Enz's prog tendencies recede, the tracks becomes shorter. Where tracks on Dizrythmia sometimes noodled into the five- and six-minute range, only two cuts on Frenzy exceed four minutes ("Stuff and Nonsense" and "Betty," the disc's nod to all you lovers out there). This newfound brevity furthers the impression that the band's sound is getting leaner, tighter, and more pop-oriented. Also notable on Frenzy is Split Enz's most thorough exploration to date of the darker side of the emotional spectrum. In addition to the fist-shaking, spurned lover's lament of "I See Red," Frenzy's tracks describe the misanthropic views of a sociophobic recluse ("Hermit McDermitt"); a desperate call for help from a deserted lost soul ("Marooned"); and the gritted-teeth mantra of someone clearly determined to overcome extreme conditions ("Mind Over Matter"). North American fans take note: this CD features the track listing from the original Australia/New Zealand release, with three songs not included on the 1981 Canadian vinyl release ("Famous People," "The Roughest Toughest Game In The World," and "Abu Dhabi"). Frustratingly, four songs exclusive to the Canadian release ("Holy Smoke," "Semi-Detached," "Carried Away," and "Livin' It Up") are not included here.

Split Enz's 4th album was released in early 1979 in Australia and New Zealand on Mushroom and 1981 elsewhere on A+M (after True Colours). This review is for the 2006 remaster.

WARNING! Some pressings of the 2006 remaster contain a heavily out of place track listing on the sleeve but both sleeves contain a disc with the same song order. Here is the listing on the sleeve that has the wrong order and the actual disc in all cases:
Wrong sleeve / Actual disc
1. I See Red / Give It A Whirl
2. Give It A Whirl / I See Red
3. Master Plan / Famous People
4. Famous People / Hermit McDermitt
5. Hermit McDermitt / Stuff And Nonsense
6. Stuff And Nonsense / Mind Over Matter
7. Marooned in both cases
8. Frenzy / Master Plan
9. The Roughest Toughest Game In The World / She Got Body, She Got Soul
10. She Got Body, She Got Soul / The Roughest Toughest Game In The World
11. Betty / Abu Dhabi
12. Abu Dhabi / Betty
13. Mind Over Matter / Frenzy
BONUS TRACKS: Bonus tracks identical on both listings
14. Semi Detached
15. Carried Away
16. Horse To Water

That aside, now I'll talk about the album itself. After losing their UK recording deal in early 1978, Split Enz were in a bit of a pithole. Unable to find gigs due to no manager, the band had to go on the dole. Despite all this, the Enz were writing and rehearsing new material and the New Zealand Art Council gave the band a $5,000 grant so they could record in a cramped 8-track studio in Luton, thus creating the band-produced Luton Tapes in mid-1978. Then came the making of the album itself in November/December 1978 with Mallory Earl producing. These recordings made Frenzy, but the album's original mix was poor by the band's standards, thus re-mixing it in 1981 for outside of Australasia's release and again for this 2006 re-release. Here are my thoughts on the songs on this Frenzy:

Give It A Whirl- Excellent hard rocker to start a brilliant album!
I See Red- Everyone knows this, not gonna say much, just extremely angsty and catchy
Famous People- First filler track
Hermit McDermitt- Great chorus and instrumentation
Stuff And Nonsense- A sweet Brian Timothy Finn ballad
Mind Over Matter- Heavy guitar song, great listen
Marooned- Eddie Rayner shows he can write a song here
Master Plan- Great showcase of Malcolm Green's drumming
She Got Body, She Got Soul- Honky-tonk town!
Abu Dhabi- The `mysterious' Split Enz song, the lyrics are mixed so softly because of offensiveness that people have wondered for the past 27 years what the lyrics are!
Betty- Not much of a liker for this
Frenzy- What a brilliant way to close a brilliant album! Works better as a closer than Mind Over Matter
Not going to review bonus tracks, leave that for YOU to find out

Line-up of Split Enz at the time
Mark X line up (March 1978-May 1981)
Tim Finn (vocals, acoustic guitar, piano)
Neil Finn (vocals, guitars)
Nigel Griggs (bass, backing vocals)
Malcolm Green (drums, backing vocals)
Eddie Rayner (keyboards, backing vocals)
Noel Crombie (percussion, backing vocals and art/visual director)

There you have it. Frenzy in a nutshell

I own the LP version released in 1981 on A&M Records. My LP has different track sequencing, one additional song, and a few songs are different than those on the CD. Maybe the CD is an improvement over my LP? I found this album a big letdown after the excellent Mental Notes. The 'magic' is gone. There's a few good songs here but there are also some real stinkers - downright annoying.