I couldn't resist picking up this 1981 single due to the great sleeve and amazing foldout poster, and I certainly wasn't disappointed when the record hit the turntable. Both sides are aces, though I particularly love the instrumental B-side 'Flak', which got my immediate attention by dint of having one of my all time favourite sounds: spazzy danceable no wave influence new wave pop (for want of a better or at least shorter term); both sides would have fit right at home on Bob Last's //FAST// or Pop:Aural record labels alongside Fire Engines or Boots For Dancing. Whether this is coincidental or not (there certainly does appear to be a lot of Fire Engines records that made it over to Australia/NZ and even the artwork is reminiscent), I don't really care, it's just great to hear!
Apparently 'It Ain't What You Dance...' was the follow up to an Australian number one hit (the ok 'Counting the Beat') and Swingers were a bunch of New Zealanders, including Phil Judd once of Split Enz, and various members of Auckland punk band Suburban Reptiles. I subsequently spent $5 on a copy of Swingers' LP but unfortunately found it to be pretty disappointing, with patchy song writing/singing and a more polished '80s' sound, even the version of 'It Ain't..." seems to be a different mix, though to be fair, the paper thin cheap vinyl Mushroom chose to press the album on doesn't help appreciation much.
That said, Swingers are still legends in my book for this single alone!
(and please do pass on any recommendations for other good down under post-punk records as I'm sure there must be lots more out there...)
SWINGERS- It Ain't What You Dance It's The Way That You Dance It
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