Sometimes it’s amazing how much damage a name can do.
Back in the heady early days of punk and new wave, any number of bands emerged sporting names like Doug and the Slugs, Ian Drury and the Blockheads, or Eddie and the Hot Rods. It’s no surprise then that when Sniff ‘n’ the Tears made their way to the American shores they were immediately tossed in with that crowd and labeled a new wave act. I’ve even seen them referred to as one of the great “one-hit wonders” of the ‘80’s. This just couldn’t be more wrong.
First of all, the album came out in 1978, not 1980 and that’s an important distinction. Sniff ‘n’ the Tears were never a new wave band. They shared none of the hairdos nor sounds of Culture Club or Spandau Ballet. Rather, Sniff and his multi-talented batch of Tears bared far more similarity to some of the cooler, jazz-inflected guitar bands of the late seventies. Think early (pre-MTV, “Sultans of Swing”-era) Dire Straits or mid-period Steely Dan, and you’ll get a bit of the flavor. There were no heavy synths or programmed beats here. Sniff was a guitar band, first and foremost, and the three guitarists snake and weave their serpentine guitar parts like interlocking pieces of a jigsaw puzzle to produce some of the most impassioned, complex, and infinitely melodic rock of the decade. With a tone all their own, no one ever sounded like Sniff before, or since.
And the whole one-hit wonder part is pure crap also. Sure, in America they were best known for their relentlessly catchy hit “Driver’s Seat,” but that was far from the end-all of their career. Sniff’s next album, The Game is Up, may even eclipse the excellence of Fickle Heart, and the band went on to record several more successful releases in Europe. “Driver’s Seat,” isn’t even the best song on this album. But oh, what a song it is!
Kicking off with that crystal clear strummed acoustic guitar, it was clear this was a far cry from the electropop of bands like Depeche Mode. By the time that single snare pops in, I was already hooked. And that was before I even heard that massively low, processed guitar riff which forever sealed the deal. From there, the song is a masterpiece of pure pop precision. Listen as the guitars weave in and out, undulating around that incessant beat. Paul Roberts was an effective vocalist, his voice carrying a touch of disdain and apathy for his obtuse lyrics. But that’s not to say Roberts had nothing to say. Listen close and you catch a whiff that “Driver’s Seat” for all of it’s pop savvy and infectiousness, is really a political/spiritual song. Declaring loud and proud, that “There is no elite/just take your place in the driver’s seat.” The rise of the common man was a familiar theme for Roberts, taken to it’s ultimate on the latter song “Looking for You.”
But people didn’t love “Driver’s Seat” for its message; they loved it, and still love it, for its beat. It’s indefatigable beat married to that contagious chorus with the unforgettable deep harmony vocals. Try not to be blinded by all that and listen to the guitars, the glorious guitars.
As perfect a pop song as “Driver’s Seat” was, the following cut, “New Lines on Love,” showcases what the band was really about. Guitars sparkle and percolate, shimmering crisp tones dart in and out of deeper resonating passages. If Dire Straits had done this song following “Sultans of Swing” they would have been praised for their genius. A layer of melancholy hangs like a tapestry though Roberts’ vocals and searching lyrics. All wrapped in a never-ending melody and chorus.
“Carve Your Name on my Door,” is the only song that doesn’t work for me here. Too straight forward a soul/R&B song to bring out what made Sniff ‘n’ the Tears special. “This Side of the Blue Horizon,” brings back the winning ways, this time with a twist. A slow, piano-based blues ballad, Sniff brings in some tender slide guitar to really make the song squeal and moan. Roberts voice, gravelly and half stuck in his throat really shines here, purring like honey over sandpaper.
From there, the album is a non-stop, full-on winner. “Sing” brings a pulsating bass in amidst the dancing and electrifying guitar parts, with a drop dead chorus. “Rock and Roll Music” updates the 50’s rock sound for a with a rebels call of pure rock adrenaline. “Fight For Love,” swings with a loose rock abandon. “The Thrill of it All,” is simply spell-binding, guitars percolating in lighting flashes of interlocking electric harmonies. Roberts’ digs down into his vocal range here, bringing up a good bit of damaged vocal chords in the best performance on the album. All this happens over a gentle, neo-jazz beat, creating a sound that has never been replicated.
The guitars in “Slide Away” mesmerize me, spiraling and dancing, chopping and stringing notes together like pearls on a string. Anyone who ever thinks that Sniff had one good song needs to hear this. Again, if Dire Straits had done it, it’d have been a hit to rival any of their early songs.
As a re-issue celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Chiswick Records, Fickle Heart is available on CD in a digipack with two bonus songs. A slower, early version of “Rock and Roll Music,” which doesn’t add much and a dynamite, previously unreleased period track, “Morocco Bound.” This one’s a winner, piano weaving through the song taking the place of the traditional Sniff guitar. The song builds upon its jazzy structure to its harmony chorus, sounding like something that Steely Dan would have wished they’d recorded. A definite bonus track of class and depth.
I first heard “Driver’s Seat,” in the passenger of my best friend’s 1967 Mustang, speeding through the Tunnel on a trip to San Francisco. I was caught. Since then, I’ve made sure to pick up any Sniff I can find. Now, 30 years later, it all sound just as vibrant and powerful today. Unlike most of the ‘80’s one-hit wonder stuff” Sniff ‘n’ the Tears is absolutely timeless. One of my favorite albums of all time, then and now.
--Racer
Buy here: Fickle Heart
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