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Customer Reviews of Frenzy

Solid transitional effort
On Frenzy, Split Enz picks up where it left off on 1977's Dizrythmia (pop-grounded art rock) and at times adds a harder, not-quite-but-almost punk-y edge to the mix. Understand, Frenzy is by no means a punk rock album. But never before have the Enz rocked like they do on this album's leadoff track, "I See Red." The tight, surprisingly explosive guitar work of "I See Red" gets Frenzy powerfully out of the gate but still leaves room for the trademark piano work of Eddie Rayner. No other track on Frenzy approaches the raw energy of "I See Red," but the imprint of a stronger guitar presence is evident on several others (particularly "Give It A Whirl," "Hermit McDermitt," "Frenzy," and "Mind Over Matter"). As the guitars move to the foreground and Split Enz's prog tendencies recede, the tracks becomes shorter. Where tracks on Dizrythmia sometimes noodled into the five- and six-minute range, only two cuts on Frenzy exceed four minutes ("Stuff and Nonsense" and "Betty," the disc's nod to all you lovers out there). This newfound brevity furthers the impression that the band's sound is getting leaner, tighter, and more pop-oriented. Also notable on Frenzy is Split Enz's most thorough exploration to date of the darker side of the emotional spectrum. In addition to the fist-shaking, spurned lover's lament of "I See Red," Frenzy's tracks describe the misanthropic views of a sociophobic recluse ("Hermit McDermitt"); a desperate call for help from a deserted lost soul ("Marooned"); and the gritted-teeth mantra of someone clearly determined to overcome extreme conditions ("Mind Over Matter"). North American fans take note: this CD features the track listing from the original Australia/New Zealand release, with three songs not included on the 1981 Canadian vinyl release ("Famous People," "The Roughest Toughest Game In The World," and "Abu Dhabi"). Frustratingly, four songs exclusive to the Canadian release ("Holy Smoke," "Semi-Detached," "Carried Away," and "Livin' It Up") are not included here.

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Spotty effort
I own the LP version released in 1981 on A&M Records. My LP has different track sequencing, one additional song, and a few songs are different than those on the CD. Maybe the CD is an improvement over my LP? I found this album a big letdown after the excellent Mental Notes. The 'magic' is gone. There's a few good songs here but there are also some real stinkers - downright annoying.

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FRENZY packs a Frenetic Punch!
The Split Enz pack a diverse load of toe tapping music into this CD. Neil and Tim Finn seem to be competing to see who can pen the best tune, reeling off such great numbers as I See Red, Hermit McDermitt, and Carried Away. This album was obviously recorded while the band's lineup and attitude were remarkably in tune! The raw intensity will win over even skeptics with this collection!