<p><span><span>- <strong>Chapter Music</strong> has recently released a collection of previously unsuch archival music from Use No Hooks. Originating in Melbourne, this compilation of the group's output spans the years 1979-1983. Emerging from the Little Bands scene there, the collection touches on elements of new wave, Downtown NY-funk, jazz and dub.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>At this point, the number <em>Do The Job</em> is a bona fide classic having been released on the <em>Can't Stop It! II: Australian Post-Punk 1979-84</em> comp by Chapter in 2007. It was a singular slice of dancefloor-oriented new wave complete with a broad Aussie spoken word rap! It appears again here, accompanied by a shockingly tight live version. <em>The Hook</em> follows a similar template, although the groove is more languid. Again, <em>Spoonful</em> is a slow burner, with a great long instrumental break filling out the song till it ends. <em>In The Clear</em> starts with some jazzy guitar chords before settling into its sparse groove (again with some broad spoken word verses!). </span></span></p>
<p><span><span>Live track <em>Your Services Are No Longer Required</em> nods in the direction of <strong>Nile Rodgers </strong>with its rhythmic guitar scratch. <em>But You Smile Anyway</em> is another concise live recording, its groove a tad darker, more of a sultry jazz-funk feel. This song, along with some on the latter half of the compilation focuses on the deft combination of saxophone, electric piano, guitar, bass drums and vocals. <em>Instrumentality</em> explores this arrangement in an interesting way. True to its namesake there are no vocals, the track sprawling over seven minutes, the groove evolving (definitely more jazz than disco). <em>Sideshore Boogie</em> is another instrumental, a sort of surf-funk hybrid. <em>This Way Up</em> going in an <strong>A Certain Ratio</strong> direction, a rolling groove with hits of slap bass. <em>Back Story</em> reflects aspects of dub, with its syncopated bass and keyboard stabs.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>Chapter has reissued some superb Aussie new-wave in the recent past, particularly <strong>Asphixiation</strong>’s <em>What Is This Thing Called Disco</em> and <strong>David Chesworth</strong>'s <em>Layer On Layer</em>. Use No Hooks’ approach might be more straight ahead than these examples -unlike Brophy’s minimalist leanings or Chesworth's systematic one- and may be even the better for it. Truly, it is amazing that such a bevy of high quality material exists!</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>- Hillfolk.</span></span></p>
<iframe style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 120px;" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=733888071/size=large/bgcol=ff…; seamless><a href="http://usenohooks.bandcamp.com/album/the-job">The Job by Use No Hooks</a></iframe>