From the fertile early 1980's Brighton scene The Chefs were the perfect oven to help warm up the early careers of Helen McCookerybook and Carl Evans, who took what they learnt in The Smartees and turned it into The Chefs. In the kitchen were Rod Bloor Whowas on Pots and pans until he fled to Manchester being replaced by Russell Greenwood, with James McCallum as sous chef. After the band broke up in 1982 they went on to be in The Popticians, Yip Yip Coyote and Helen & The Horns etc.
This double album features the bands one album Records & Tea and some Peel sessions, singles, demos and rarities, everything you could ever want from The Chefs including Thrush!
The album opens with Food a great chanted list song, for the cheap as chips food that The Chefs like to eat and cook with, this has a cheeky grin on its face.
You Get Everywhere is low-fi song of love and lust, for someone who sticks to you like glue, can't let you alone, no matter how you try to give them the slip. You even turn up in the hospital bed next to them, classic Shangri La's influenced stalking song.
Sweetie is a cute jangle indie anthem for the sweet love he wants to eat, the harmonies make clear how much she enjoys being his sweetie. Knowing she'll be his.
Thrush is a teen drama, meeting the wrong bloke at a disco in 78, he gives her Thrush so she sounds the alarm for the darling that diseased her, the lyrics are totally up front, about what a one-night stand could get you.
Records & Tea are all they need, they aren't into harder drugs than a good ole cup of tea and a visit to a jumble sale, this is a brilliant early Twee pop song, brilliantly mundane observances, sung in a nursery rhyme style.
Boasting is a super speedy jangle punk song that allows Helen and to swap boasts and hopefully outdo each other.
Someone I Know is a friend of a friend who'll get you what you want, this takes an old folk style gavotte rhythm to make clear, that if you find the guy you'll enter a different world.
24 Hours she's been up all night stalking you, she will get what she wants no matter what she must do to be friends with you, give in to the rampant rockabilly guitars, you know you want too. By the end of the song her infatuation is already moving onto the next obsession, so don't miss your chance to be hers.
Let's Make Up lists all the things Helen might choose to paint on herself to get what the magazines claim she wants. This has a feminist twist to it lyrically, she rejects some of the norms being perpetrated on her.
Your So Nice could that be you at the door, whatever could you want, the spry Twee punk, is happy to meet someone as nice as you.
I'll Go Too is a song for hangers on everywhere, you know they hear your going somewhere and they just want to come along, do none of the planning just show up and have a smashing time with you, this is super speedy jangle pop punk for messy holidays.
Springtime Reggae is Modern Lovers style reggae with the gentlest of cod lilts, for a quaint innocence, getting kids to wash and keep themselves clean, so they can become superstars.
Love Is Such A Splendid Thing has tribal drumming jangling guitars and insistent backing vocals from Helen, whipping up a storm of Love for the object of their desires.
Sad Boy Style is a song of observations of shenanigans making some Sad Boy do the runaround in hope of a bit of fun and games, the girls are always in charge, he never quite gets what he wants, a real teen drama.
Honcho has a distinctly western beat for this tale of watching westerns on a Saturday morning, dreaming of one day being referred to as Honcho's.
Commander Lonely isn't a lost planet airman, but more of a squiggly guitar toting loner, who really wants to join in and be part of the gang.
Just A Word the last words for a failing relationship, with dovetailing harmonies over a sparse riff.
Land Ho a cry coming across the waves at them from some sailors, struggling to make it home in a storm, with deep swelling drums crashing into waves of guitar notes.
Baby Small sounds like a female fronted Dr Feelgood, driving riff rushes on the dripping sarcasm, what Baby Small may or may not refer too, will make certain guys squirm with embarrassment.
Lucky Hello is both a song of hope and a cautionary tale, what might happen to you if you go to old London Town, this isn't quite as wry as David Bowies London Boys, but does hint at the dangers along with the pleasures of London.
Northbound Train they are headed towards the smoke and adventures new, guitar riff like clacketty clack train, super speedy vocals and harmonies, they rumble on to dark adventures.
Sleeping Dogs Lie is full pelt rage and roll, relationship wrecks are hitting the beach once more, they pick there way through the jetsam in double quick time.
Toby is a tribute to her need for more from live than the drudgery of full-time work, she wants jolly good time, all the time, in the way only Toby can provide.
One Fine Day has a twisted freak folk feel, asking what the hell happened on that day, you've never been the same again, guitar solo takes us to a ranch near the Devils Dyke, I expect a wagon to come rolling over the hill, with Helen cracking her whip at them.
Locked Out oh dear they can't get back in, they are home after curfew, how will they get back in, will they shiver all night long or what, have they lost there keys again, or just forgotten them.
The album closes with The Chefs cover of Femme Fatale that of course struggles now, Like it would have in the early 80's in comparison to Tracey Thorns version, that's also being re-issued this month, this has a nice jangly edge with Helen's vocals couched in reverb and echo, this is nice and cool, will work well played next to Quinn and Collins version of Pale Blue Eyes.
Find out more at https://damagedgoods.co.uk/discography/the-chefs-records-tea-the-best-f-the-chefs-and-lost-second-album/ https://www.facebook.com/helen.mccookerybook http://mccookerybook.com/
