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Rating: The "Little River Band" is an Australian group from Melbourne, veterans of the seventies/eighties. Their musical genre is adult pop rock, carefully orchestrated with professionalism, whose most remarkable quality is the skill in writing and executing harmonies that are truly strong and sonorous, although not particularly creative (in other words, almost always made with the classic third and fifth harmonies). The same taste for harmonization is also reflected in the guitar arrangements, which frequently feature two lead guitars working simultaneously.
What is weak, however, is the rhythm section's drive, which does its part without the slightest adventure or creativity, thus forcing the brilliant vocal and guitar evolutions this band is capable of into an eternal limbo of moderation and cleanliness, admirable but fundamentally unfulfilling. You find yourself halfway across an artistic bridge with the Little River Band: they are skillful but not very captivating, pleasant but ordinary, interesting but harmless.
The quintet is led by composer, rhythm guitarist, and master harmonizer Graham Goble, the classic hyperactive and hyper rational figure pushing himself and everyone else to strive for excellence. The group's great successes, and effective pop songs in general, are always his, and on this album, which saw 1981 as the year of publication and is the sixth in their discography, there are at least three: my favorite is the delightful "Take It Easy On Me," whose simple but genuinely universal lyrics (a man telling a woman to take it easy on him, not to cloak everything he does and says with anxiety and expectations... more universal than this!) are excellently interpreted by frontman Glenn Shorrock. It spreads its notable melodic appeal first over a piano arrangement and then becomes harmonically enriched with tasteful interventions by lead guitarist David Briggs and precise special layering by the harmonies, always focused on the high and silvery voices of both Goble and bassist Wayne Nelson.
A distinctive and unusual piece is the short but darting "Full Circle," a track for vocals only (and what voices!) and... a snare, with just a light orchestral background arranged at a certain point by producer George Martin (yes, the one from the Beatles, who doesn't shy away from involving a grand orchestra in some instances). The vocal firepower of the band is incredible... there are at least four genuine singers at work, more than just backing vocalists: I've already mentioned three, the fourth is Beeb Birtles, also rhythm guitarist and second lead guitarist.
Last mention goes to "Night Owls" at the start: it's one of the band's great hits thanks to the spirited and catchy four-part chorus belted out at full blast, but personally, you can find even better throughout the album from this sextet that features four voices, three guitars, and all four members as composers (the lead singer and all the guitarists). The melodic firepower at the Little River Band's disposal contributed to a notable success in Australia, which is actually only the native land for some of them, while for others it's just an adopted land as they originally come from the USA, Great Britain, or even the Netherlands. For a long time, they managed to perform quite well in the American market, and they made some impact in Europe, but here in Italy, they've only made a few fleeting appearances (I don't believe they've ever played here).
Give the Little River Band a listen; this "Time Exposure" is a good place to start.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
03 Take It Easy on Me (03:47)
It used to be so easy to be your lover.
We wandered through the days like they had no end.
But now that you are gone I'm under cover.
I just can't think about you as a friend.
Chorus:
Take it easy on me.
It should be easy to see.
I'm getting lost in a crowd.
Hear me crying out loud.
Just want you to know.
I know that you have to go.
It's all up to you but whatever you do, take it easy on me.
So now I'll go the minstrel road without.
I know there will be times when I need you there.
And each night as I sing those songs about you.
I'll think back to the time when you used to care.
(Repeat Chorus)
Take it easy on me.
Oh baby don't leave me crying.
It should be easy to see.
I've needed you for so long.
Just one more chance with you.
One more chance will you, take chance?
Come on and take a chance.
(Repeat Chorus)
It's still up to you but whatever you do ...
Take it easy on me.
12 The Other Guy (02:48)
I found out that you care for another guy
I found out that you want for another smile
We are alone as two different people can be
And it's hurting me so
Just to know that you don't care for me
Chorus:
The other guy won't be around to talk to our kids
He won't understand when you're down the way that I did
We had it all, you and I, we just need to try again
I found out that your heart's in another guy
You found out that you're tellin' another lie
We've gone apart and goin' our own separate ways
And you don't understand
Why I love you and want you to stay
Chorus
You don't know it's me that you need
You're thinking of him and I can't compete
Well I'm here to say I still want you back again
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