The latest in BMG’s lovely series of Slade reissues sees 1976’s Nobody’s Fools and 1983’s The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome released in deluxe CD format or limited edition LP pressed on gorgeous splatter vinyl. The CD editions feature media book packaging, extra tracks and detailed liner notes. In contrast, the focus of the LP versions is on recreating the packaging of the original releases, while providing a gorgeous new pressing on a limited-edition coloured format. Our review details the LP versions, but you can find the track listing for the CD editions below.
The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome (1983)
Jumping forward in time, TAKS was Slade’s eleventh album. Following the band’s epic performance at Reading (recently released in the Slade boxset, All the World Is a Stage), the band’s fortunes picked up and they found themselves signed to RCA. Unfortunately, in their desire to relaunch the band, RCA largely bodged the release, rushing out the album after the success of second single My Oh My, rather than allowing a more gradual build. Nonetheless, the raucous TAKS was well-received by fans and critics alike, making this gorgeous red and yellow splatter repress a popular choice for fans looking to build their collection.
Making their intent clear from the start, Slade kick off TAKS with the aptly titled Slam The Hammer Down, a track that apes the arty segues of Pink Floyd’s The Wall, before exploding into a full-tilt rock ‘n’ roll number, complete with high octane vocal and paint-stripping riff. It’s a cheeky nod to a fellow band, but Slade’s sheer exuberance carries it off nicely and they follow it up with the sax-soaked In The Doghouse, a sleazy toe-tapper with a remarkably energetic undercurrent with a Meat Loaf vibe. It’s not all classic Slade. Well-received single Run Runaway has a new wave vibe, the electronic percussion and stabbing guitars expertly deployed by a band who had already showcased remarkable skill when it came to engaging with the music of the time. An energetic and effective song, it’s easy to see why it was chosen as a single, even if it is not exactly representative of the opening tracks. The new wave vibe remains on the brilliant High And Dry, a track possessed of so brilliant a chorus it’s frankly baffling it wasn’t a single. That honour, of course, went to My Oh My, an unsubtle singalong that recalls Judas Priest’s similarly exploitative United. Fortunately, the explosive Cocky Rock Boys (Rule O.K.) brings the side to a satisfyingly heavy close.
Side two opens with the lengthy, splenetic rocker Ready To Explode, another Meat Loaf-esque blast that adopts the Todd Rundgren more-is-more school of production. With its rock ‘n’ roll piano, harmonised leads and over-the-top race-track references, it’s a whole heap of fun and it gets the side off to a flying start. It segues straight into the whimsical (And Now Waltz) C’est La Vie, a track that makes sense in thew context of the album, although it offers little more than a romantically-inclined coda to the opening track. Serving as a precursor for the bulk of W.A.S.P’s career (they formed in 1982), Cheap ‘n’ Nasty Luv does much to predict the melodically-inclined hair metal that would be all the rage just a few years down the line – hell, it’s so close in delivery to The Crimson Idol, it’s hard to believe the band didn’t re-release TAKS in the early 90s, just to highlight the point. The album concludes with the fast-paced Razzle Dazzle Man, a hard rocker complete with ridiculous sound effects and enough gusto to shame a band half Slade’s age at this point. It’s a fine conclusion to a strong second side and it provides the album with a seriously rocking finale.
The Amazin Kamikaze Syndrome is an impressive album and one that, in retrospect, sees Slade deftly switching between the new wave of the time (Run Runaway and High and Dry) and the hard rock wating in the wings (Razzle Dazzle Man, Ready To Explode). Along the way, there are cheeky nods to Pink Floyd’s conceptual shenanigans and, in truth, only one slight misstep – the overly commercial My Oh My, although fans of the day dug it. All in all, TAKS is an impressive album from a band who had had their fair share of misfortune. At the time, it received solid reviews, but history has been kind and this stunning reissue provides the perfect grounds for reappraisal. 8/10
The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome CD track list:
1. Slam The Hammer Down
2. In The Doghouse
3.Run Runaway
4. High And Dry
5. My Oh My
6. Cocky Rock Boys (Rule O.K.)
7. Ready To Explode
8. (And Now The Waltz) C’est la vie
9. Cheap ‘N’ Nasty Luv
10. Razzle Dazzle Man
Bonus tracks
11. Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply
12. My Oh My (Swing Version)
13. Can’t Tame A Hurricane
14. Run Runaway (12″ Version)
15. Two Track Stereo, On Track Mind
16. Slam The Hammer Down (Hotter Mix)
New Bonus Tracks:
17. Run Runaway (7″ Version )
18. Slam The Hammer Down (Hot Mix)
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