[Review] Wreckless Eric (1978)

Reconnez Wreckless Eric? Think Ian Dury but darker and more desperate.

Kronomyth 1.0: A chip off the old Blockheads.

Stiff Records had assembled a small roster of lovable oddballs with the apparent intent of turning popular music on its ear, among them Wreckless Eric. It was an incestuous enterprise from the beginning, with Stiff artists producing and supporting one another. In the case of Wreckless Eric (Eric Goulden), you had Ian Dury as the example (Davey Payne was a member of Kilburn and the High Roads) and Larry Wallis and Nick Lowe as the producers. It’s tempting to see Wreckless Eric as a poor man’s Ian Dury and the Blockheads: both had unusual and (to American ears) largely unintelligible voices as well as a knack for smart lyrics about seamy subjects. There was a gruff, working-class charm to their approach, mixed with a devil-may-care musical attitude that, particularly in the case of Wreckless Eric, approached the energy of punk rock. (The closing There Isn’t Anything Else, for example, could pass for a Buzzcocks song.) The bright star in all of this, of course, was Whole Wide World, which perfectly captures Eric’s unvarnished appeal. Honestly, I’ve heard this song so many times that I’m a bit immune to its power these days, but there are plenty of other songs on Wreckless Eric to champion: Reconnez Cherie, Rags ‘N’ Tatters, Brainthieves. Although not as melodically gifted as Pete Shelley or Robyn Hitchcock, Goulden’s sometimes absurd and frequently dark observations will strike a nerve with fans of those artists. Unfortunately, Wreckless Eric never achieved the success that many of his Stiff labelmates enjoyed. Followers of Stiff’s brief cultural uprising, however, will find a place in their hearts (and on their turntables) for this record.

Original elpee version

A1. Reconnez Cherie
A2. Rags ‘N’ Tatters
A3. Waxworks
A4. Telephoning Home
A5. Grown Ups
B1. Whole Wide World
B2. Rough Kids (Ian Dury/Russell Hardy)
B3. Personal Hygene
B4. Brainthieves
B5. There Isn’t Anything Else

All songs written by Wreckless Eric unless noted.

The Players

Wreckless Eric (guitar and vocals), Charlie Hart (Vox organ, Farfisa organ, piano on B2, piano accordion on A1), David Lutton (Luttonesque drumming), Barry Payne (bass guitar), Davey Payne (tenor and alto saxophones) with Steve Currie (bass guitar on A4), John Glyn (tenor sax on A4), Steve Goulding (drums on B1), Nick Lowe (everything but drums and vocals on B1), Larry Wallis (guitar on B5). Produced by Larry Wallis except B1 by Nick Lowe; recorded by Chas Herington.

The Plastic

Released on elpee in March 1978 in the UK and Australia (Stiff, SEEZ 6) with picture innersleeve. (First appeared in 3/13/78 issue of Melody Maker.)