Search - Triffids :: Calenture

5 stars for the songs 2 stars for the production

Tuzzster | el cerrito, ca United States | 03/16/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"After the magnificence of Born Sandy Devotional, the intimacy of In The Pines, and signing to Island records, it looked like The Triffs could do no wrong. Sadly, the need for hit singles and major label bling overcame the sure judgement that had gone before. You only have to hear the 2nd disc of rehearsals and demos to realize Calenture could have been a masterpiece of the 1980's if they'd followed that path. Some of the great tunes on this album are fairly well obscured by overly obtrusive production, synths and a drum machine. And the liner notes indicating that this is a timeless piece of work are simply not true, it sounds like a late 1980's pop record. Still it contains some of my fave triffs tracks, bury me deep in love, hometown farewell kiss and save what you can. Magnificent. This and The Black Swan could've been so much better, instead they are the watershed for some fans like me, too commercial and too dated now to listen too, and unable to hold a candle to BSD. but oh, those demos, it could've been a contender. If only it hadn't been ruined by that damn drum machine!!"