Creatures of Leisure

Last updated

Creatures of Leisure
Creatures of Leisure.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedMarch 1983
RecordedAlbert Studios, Sydney, Australia
Genre Pop
Length39:24
Label Regular Records
Producer Russell Dunlop & Bruce Brown
(2 tracks on international version produced by Mark Moffatt & Ricky Fataar)
Mental As Anything chronology
Cats and Dogs
(1981)
Creatures of Leisure
(1983)
Fundamental
(1985)
Singles from Creatures of Leisure
  1. "Close Again"
    Released: November 1982
  2. "Spirit Got Lost"
    Released: March 1983
  3. "Brain Brain"
    Released: September 1983
  4. "Working for the Man"
    Released: November 1983
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [1]

Creatures of Leisure is the fourth studio album released by Australian band, Mental As Anything. It was released in March 1983 [2] and peaked at #8 on the Australian Album charts. [3]

Contents

Reception

AllMusic called it The Mentals' "best album to date" saying "it is a must have for pure pop fans, new wave fans, rock & roll fans, and Aussie rock fans" and noted similarities with Rockpile and Squeeze". [4]

Rip It Up said "Album number four and the cracks are beginning to show, just a little. Not that this is a bad record. It's just that it gets the slightest bit dull and workmanlike. I'm afraid the title of the first track sums it up: 'Spirit Got Lost'." [5]

Track listing

Australian edition

Creatures of Leisure
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Spirit Got Lost" Reg Mombassa, Andrew 'Greedy' Smith [6] 2:59
2."Float Away"Reg Mombassa [6] 2:43
3."Brain Brain" Peter O'Doherty [6] 4:37
4."Bitter to Swallow"Andrew Smith [6] 3:46
5."Close Again"Peter O'Doherty [6] 2:57
6."Space to Let"Martin Plaza [6] 2:47
7."Not Enough" (MC / CD only track not included on LP release)Martin Plaza, Reg Mombassa [6] 2:52
8."Drinking of Her Lips"Reg Mombassa [6] 3:28
9."Fiona"Andrew Smith [6] 3:28
10."Nothing's Going Right Today"Martin Plaza [6] 3:20
11."Red to Green"Peter O'Doherty, Victoria Campbell [6] 3:25
12."Country in the Concrete"Reg Mombassa [6] 3:25
13."Let's Not Get Sentimental" (Track timing includes unlisted track, below.)Martin Plaza [6] 6:49
14."Business & Pleasure" (Unlisted track. A new recording of a track originally heard on Get Wet.)Martin Plaza [6]  

International Edition

The version of Creatures of Leisure released in North America dropped the tracks "Space to Let" and "Country in the Concrete", and added "Working for the Man" and "Seems Alright to Me". Additionally, "Nothing's Going Right Today" appeared in remixed form.

"Business & Pleasure", which was a completely unlisted track on the Australian release, was listed on the sleeve and on the label of the international edition, although it was not listed on the lyric sheet.

Creatures of Leisure
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Spirit Got Lost" Reg Mombassa, Andrew 'Greedy' Smith [6] 2:56
2."Float Away"Reg Mombassa [6] 2:41
3."Brain Brain" Peter O'Doherty [6] 4:35
4."Bitter to Swallow"Andrew Smith [6] 3:43
5."Close Again"Peter O'Doherty [6] 2:54
6."Nothing's Going Right Today" (Remixed by Joe Raine)Martin Plaza [6] 3:15
7."Not Enough" (MC only track not included on LP release)Martin Plaza, Reg Mombassa [6] 2:52
8."Working for the Man"Roy Orbison [6] 3:31
9."Fiona"Andrew Smith [6] 3:25
10."Seems Alright to Me"Martin Plaza [6] 3:28
11."Drinking of Her Lips"Reg Mombassa [6] 2:50
12."Red to Green"Peter O'Doherty, Victoria Campbell [6] 3:27
13."Let's Not Get Sentimental"Martin Plaza [6] 4:30
14."Business & Pleasure"Martin Plaza [6] 2:20

Personnel

Musicians

Recording details

Additional credits on international edition

Art work

Charts

Chart (1983)Peak
position
Australian (Kent Music Report) [7] 8
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) [8] 38

Release history

RegionDateLabelFormatCatalogue
Australia & New ZealandMarch 1983Regular RecordsVinyl LPRRLP1205
Canada1983 Solid Gold Records Vinyl LPSGR1018
United States1983A&M RecordsVinyl LPSP4946
UK & Europe 1983A&M RecordsVinyl LPAMLH64946
Japan1983A&M RecordsVinyl LPAMP28094
Australia1998Festival RecordsCDD20209

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mental As Anything</span> Australian new wave/pop-rock band

Mental As Anything are an Australian new wave and pop rock band that formed in Sydney in 1976. Its most popular line-up was Martin Plaza on vocals and guitar; Reg Mombassa on lead guitar and vocals; his brother Peter "Yoga Dog" O'Doherty on bass guitar and vocals; Wayne de Lisle on drums; and Andrew "Greedy" Smith on vocals, keyboards and harmonica. Their original hit songs were generated by Mombassa, O'Doherty, Plaza and Smith, either individually or collectively; they also hit the Australian charts with covers of songs by Roy Orbison, Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry.

Peter O'Doherty is a New Zealand-born Australian musician and visual artist. He is a founder of Australian pop band, Dog Trumpet, in 1991 on guitar and vocals, alongside his older brother, Chris O'Doherty on guitar, keyboards, harmonica and vocals. They were also members of new wave group, Mental as Anything, which O'Doherty joined in August 1977 on bass guitar and vocals, until they both left in 2000. As a visual artist, O'Doherty specialised in still life and everyday suburban scenes. He is married to Susan, who is also a visual artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin Plaza</span> Musical artist

Martin Edward Murphy, commonly known by the pseudonym Martin Plaza, is an Australian singer-songwriter, musician and visual artist who is a founding member and vocalist and guitarist of the new wave band Mental As Anything. He has also worked with other bands and is an accomplished artist. Plaza also has a solo music career and had a No. 2 hit in Australia with his 1986 cover of the song "Concrete and Clay".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Nips Are Getting Bigger</span> 1979 single by Mental As Anything

"The Nips Are Getting Bigger" is the debut single by Australian band Mental As Anything, released in July 1979. It was released as the first single from the album Get Wet and the song reached at number 16 on the Kent Music Report. The song was written by Mental As Anything lead vocalist Martin Plaza.

<i>Fundamental</i> (Mental As Anything album) 1985 studio album by Mental As Anything

Fundamental or Fundamental As Anything is the fifth studio album released by Australian rock/pop group, Mental As Anything. The album was produced by Richard Gottehrer and was released on Regular Records in March 1985. It peaked at #3 on the Australian Kent Music Report albums charts.

<i>Cats & Dogs</i> (Mental As Anything album) 1981 studio album by Mental As Anything

Cats & Dogs is the third studio album by Australian band Mental As Anything. It was released in September 1981, produced by Bruce Brown and Russell Dunlop, the album peaked at #3 on the Australian chart and #2 on the New Zealand Album charts.

The Monitors were an Australian pop band of the early 1980s. They were primarily a studio group which involved a collaboration between Terry McCarthy on vocals and keyboards, and Mark Moffatt on guitar, bass guitar and keyboards. They used various guest vocalists. Their debut single, "Singin' in the '80s", was released in 1980 and reached No. 16 on the Kent Music Report singles chart.

<i>Get Wet</i> (Mental As Anything album) 1979 studio album by Mental As Anything

Get Wet is the debut studio album released by Australian band Mental As Anything. It was released in November 1979, and peaked at #19 on the Australian Album charts.

<i>Espresso Bongo</i> 1980 studio album by Mental As Anything

Espresso Bongo is the second studio album released by Mental As Anything. It was released in July 1980, and peaked at #37 on the Australian Album charts.

<i>Greatest Hits Vol. 1</i> (Mental As Anything album) 1986 compilation album by Mental As Anything

Greatest Hits Volume 1 is the first compilation album by Australian pop rock band Mental As Anything, released in April 1986. Greatest Hits Volume 1 peaked at number 2 on the Australian chart and number 36 in New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Apocalypso (Wiping the Smile Off Santa's Face)</span> 1984 single by Mental As Anything

"Apocalypso (Wiping the Smile Off Santa's Face)" is a Christmas song by Australian band Mental As Anything, released in November 1984. The song reached at number 37 on the Kent Music Report.

Come Around is a song by Australian band Mental As Anything, released in May 1980. as the only single from the group second album, Espresso Bongo. The song peaked at number 18 on the Kent Music Report Singles Chart. The song was written by their lead singer and guitarist, Martin Plaza.

<i>Mouth to Mouth</i> (Mental As Anything album) 1987 studio album by Mental As Anything

Mouth to Mouth is the sixth studio album by Australian pop rock band Mental As Anything, released in July 1987, and the album was produced by Richard Gottehrer. The album peaked at number 14 on the Australian chart.

"Possible Theme for a Future TV Drama Series" is a song by Australian band Mental As Anything, released in November 1979 as the second single from the album Get Wet and the song reached at number 57 on the Kent Music Report. The song was written by Mental As Anything lead vocalist Martin Plaza.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">He's Just No Good for You</span> 1987 single by Mental As Anything

"He's Just No Good for You" is a song by Australian pop rock band Mental As Anything, released in July 1987. It was released as the second single from the band's sixth studio album, Mouth to Mouth. The song was written by Mental As Anything guitarist Greedy Smith and peaked at number 15 on the Australian charts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Too Many Times (Mental As Anything song)</span> 1981 single by Mental As Anything

"Too Many Times" is a song by Australian rock band Mental As Anything, released in September 1981 as the second single from their third studio album, Cats & Dogs. The song peaked at number 6 on the Kent Music Report.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You're So Strong</span> 1985 single by Mental As Anything

"You're So Strong" is a song by Australian pop rock band Mental As Anything, released in 1985 through Regular Records. It was released from the band's fifth studio album Fundamental The song was written by Guitarist Greedy Smith. The song first charted on 25 March 1985, peaked at No. 11 on the Kent Music Report, and stayed in the charts for eighteen weeks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Date with Destiny</span> 1985 single by Mental As Anything

"Date with Destiny" is a song by Australian pop rock band Mental As Anything, released in 1985 through WEA Records. The song was written by Guitarist Greedy Smith. The song first charted on 9 September 1985, peaked at No. 25 on the Kent Music Report, and stayed in the charts for eleven weeks. It was released as the third single from the band's fifth studio album Fundamental.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Berserk Warriors</span> 1981 single by Mental As Anything

Berserk Warriors is a song by Australian band Mental As Anything, released in December 1981, through Regular Records. The song was written by band member Peter O'Doherty. It is a thinly-veiled reference to the marital travails of the members of ABBA. It was released as the third and final single from the band's third album Cats & Dogs. The Song first charted on December 14, 1981, and it peaked at no. 30 on the Kent Music Report and it stayed in the charts for 16 weeks. The song Berserk Warriors was used in the 2010 movie Animal Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let's Go to Paradise</span> 1986 single by Mental As Anything

Let's Go to Paradise is a song by Australian pop rock band Mental As Anything, released in November 1986. It was released as the first single from the band's sixth studio album, Mouth to Mouth. The song was written by Mental As Anything guitarist Greedy Smith and peaked at number 15 on the Australian charts.

References

  1. Allmusic review
  2. Holmgren, Magnus; Johns, Shane; Warnqvist, Stefan. "Mental As Anything". Australian Rock Database. Passagen.se (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 29 September 2012. Retrieved 9 March 2014.
  3. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 . St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN   0-646-11917-6. NOTE: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1970 until ARIA created their own charts in mid-1988.
  4. Stephen Schnee. "Creatures of Leisure". AllMusic.
  5. Robert Eyres (1 May 1983). "Briefs". Rip It Up . No. 70. p. 18 via Papers Past.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 "APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Archived from the original on 5 December 2007. Retrieved 16 July 2009.
  7. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 198. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  8. "Charts.nz – Mental as Anything – Creatures of Leisure". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 December 2021.