Product Description

This Australian combo's 1982 debut was an instant worldwidesmash, mostly due to the undeniably catchy pop songcraft ofsinger/songwriter Colin Hay. Of course, it didn't hurt thatwith the group's reggae undertones and Hay's yelping tenor,they bore a superficial resemblance to early-'80s pop gods The Police, but BUSINESS AS USUAL is far from derivative.
A gift for the hook was Men At Work's most powerful weapon,from the impossibly catchy sax riff on the paranoid pop tune "Who Can It Be Now" to the staccato flute line marking thechorus of the reggae-ish "Down Under". "Down By the Sea"'s atmospheric poignancy proves there's another level of depth to the band's work, and the driving "Underground" adds a unique socio-political edge to the proceedings.

Track Listing

1. Who Can It Be Now
2. I Can See It In Your Eyes
3. Down Under
4. Underground
5. Helpless Automaton
6. People Just Love To Play With Words
7. Be Good Johnny
8. Touching The Untouchables
9. Catch A Star
10. Down By The Sea

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6800 in Music
• Released on: 1994-04-25
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
Despite having possibly the worst cover art in recorded history, this album spent an extraordinary 15 weeks at the top of the US charts, making the Australian five-piece the most unlikely success story of 1982. For a time, Australians abroad seemed destined to have "Down Under" sung at them--often by whole groups of strangers--as if it were a sunny gesture of greeting or camaraderie, instead of what it actually was: a tacit reinforcement of cultural stereotypes. Like Sting, Colin Hay's vocal inflections were more suited to reggae than to white guitar-pop; the band, meanwhile, seemed to aim for much the same kind of earnest, slightly arch tone as early XTC. And though the most famous track here has aged about as well as any other novelty song you care to name, others (notably "Who Can It Be Now", driven by Greg Ham's sax) have fared slightly better. Oh, and for the record: to "chunder" means to vomit. And a Vegemite sandwich is nothing you'd want to eat. --Andrew McGuire

Customer Reviews

Gainful employment
Men At Work seemed to me to be a band out of their time. I first became interested when I heard their US hit, 'Who Can It Be Now?' They sounded as if they'd taken up the mantle of late 1970s music, like The Cars' debut album, their sound dominated by guitars and sax rather than keyboards. As such, they were a refreshing diversion. The better-known hit, 'Down Under' is probably thought of as their signature tune, but 'Who Can It Be Now?' fits that role better. A song about a down-on-his-luck man who daren't answer the door, it reflects the band's personal struggles when they formed and the ironic name they gave themselves.
The album is full of great tunes, carried off in a perky manner. The first half of the album is perfect pop, culminating in the breathless 'Helpless Automaton.' They take more risks on the second half, particularly with the long, slow closing track, hardly putting a foot wrong. It is too pop to have the depth of a truly classic album, but it is one of the best pop albums of the 1980s and, at the price, fantastic value. One to be enjoyed.

A Good bit of 80's Nostilgia
I was browsing lately and came across this album. A good bit of 80's nostilgia for the price of the disc. Some great tracks including Who can it be will ensure an enjoyable revisit to the early 80's.

Excellent
I used to have the tape of this album and lost it. Decided at this price a little bit of nostalgia was cheap and it was great to hear all these songs again...and I'm not even an australian!!