The Easybeats
Volume 3 (1966)
The Easybeats are the prototype Australian rock band. Every pub rock group that followed in their footsteps can be traced back to the British-inspired rock sounds of these five Australian lads (well, two were Dutch, two were English and one was a Scotsman....) Of those lads, two (George Young and Harry Vanda) were to play a critical, pivotal role in the development, production and popularity of some of Australia's biggest acts, including The Angels, John Paul Young and AC/DC (with George being the elder brother of Acca Dacca lynchpins Angus and Malcolm Young), while lead singer Stevie Wright went on to write and perform the sprawling opus Evie.
The group are better known for a string of hits, including She's So Fine, Friday On My Mind, I'll Make You Happy and Sorry. However, such was the group's popularity in Australia, they also released several high-charting albums. Volume 3 was the third of these (I know, shock horror with that name). I'm keen to see if the group had anything outside of the big hits.
The Album
Basically, imagine every cliche of early to mid 60s pop/rock rolled into one neat little package, and you've got Volume 3. It never, ever threatens to be anything more than a bog-standard collection of short pop tunes designed to capitalise on the band's status as teen heartthrobs. I almost feel dirty saying that about such a legendary band, almost as though I'm dismissing them. I don't really want to dismiss them per se, but (at least on Volume 3) if you strip away the singles then there's not really much to get excited about.
Opening track (and well known single) Sorry is by far and away the most outstanding track here. With a chuggy riff that stays in the brain long after the song is finished, and with vocalist Stevie Wright turning in a powerhouse performance, it's definitely a superb bit of pop songcraft. You Said That is influenced by mod sounds, and shows off the group's ability to create lush vocal harmonies, and the plinking one note piano line adds a nice Kinksesque touch. Today features a twangy, solid lead break from guitarist Harry Vanda within a solid pop rock tune, and Say You Want Me is a pleasant little Beatles clone, all vocal harmony and unobtrusive musical arrangement.
Beyond that though is a collection of uninspired, by-the-numbers pop rock that might have been popular in the 1960s, but looking at it today it comes off as tired and bland. What's worse is that, Vanda's guitar playing aside, there isn't anything that threatens to lift these album tracks beyond the mundane - even The Beatles and The Stones had musicianship, vocal brilliance or even clever turns of a lyrical phrase to fall back on. The songs here simply don't have that.
The Verdict
As a singles band, The Easybeats kicked much arse. As an album group, they leave a great deal to be desired, if Volume 3 is any indication. Its biggest crime is that it is, a few tracks aside, utterly boring, and a chore to listen to.
Get Sorry, avoid the rest.
My rating: * and a half
Standout Tracks
Sorry
Today
Tomorrow, a behemoth of a metal album from a kickass Swedish outfit, who have pretty much covered every subgenre of metal during their career.
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