Business as Usual [Bonus Tracks] (CD - 1982)

Men At Work: Colin Hay (vocals, guitar); Ron Strykert (guitar, background vocals); Greg Ham (flute, saxophone, keyboards, background vocals); John Rees (bass, background vocals); Jerry Speiser (drums, background vocals).

Producers: Peter McIan, Colin Hay, Greg Ham.

Includes liner notes by David Wild.

Personnel: Colin Hay, Ron Strykert (vocals, guitar); Greg Ham (vocals, flute, saxophone, keyboards); Jerry Speiser (vocals, drums); John Rees (vocals).

Liner Note Author: David Wild.

Recording information: Richmond Recorders.

Photographer: Laura Levine.

Unknown Contributor Role: Greg Ham.

Business as Usual became a surprise international hit on the basis of "Who Can It Be Now?" and "Down Under," two excellent singles that merged straight-ahead pop/rock hooks with a quirky new wave production and an offbeat sense of humor. Colin Hay's keening vocals uncannily recall Sting, and the band's rhythmic pulse and phased guitars also bring to mind a bar band version of the Police. And that helps make the remainder of Business as Usual enjoyable. There's a fair amount of filler on the record, but "Be Good Johnny," "I Can See It in Your Eyes," and "Down by the Sea" are all fine new wave pop songs, making Business as Usual one of the more enjoyable mainstream-oriented efforts of the era. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

This Australian combo's 1982 debut was an instant worldwide smash, mostly due to the undeniably catchy pop songcraft of singer/songwriter Colin Hay. Of course, it didn't hurt that with 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 the chorus 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.

It took Sony Music 22 years to upgrade Men at Work's Business as Usual, but at least they got it right -- one of the biggest-selling LPs of the 1980s, it was never better than an average sounding CD until this 2003 reissue, which not only offered significantly upgraded sound but four bonus tracks as well, extending its running time to over 50 minutes. From the in-your-face drums opening "Who Can It Be Now?," this CD is worth the purchase for the upgrade -- you can almost hear the action on Colin Hay's crunchy rhythm guitar and Ron Strykert's chiming lead, and Greg Ham's sax is blowing right out of the bell, and when the chorus comes up at the end....it feels like a live performance. The same goes for everything else here -- the guitar interaction and the cymbal crashes on the break and finale from "Down Under," the romping sax and bass that open "Underground," and the shimmer-into-slash opening on "Be Good Johnny." The bonus cuts include one non-LP B-side, "Crazy," and a non-U.S. single track, "F-19," that are both worthwhile as showcases of the original band's range, while sandwiched between them are a pair of live tracks, "Who Can It Be Now?" and "Underground," from the latter-day band's 1996 live album from Brazil -- they're extended versions of each and most enjoyable, and speak volumes about the credibility of that recent edition of Men at Work. The annotation is also very thorough, and the entire release is essential listening. ~ Bruce Eder minimize