I used to listen to this a lot in the late 80's but for some reason put it on the shelf and forgot about it. What was I thinking? Released in 1986, "Big Night Music" is Shriekback's fifth album that is overflowing with catchy pop/rock/techno tunes and great production. Dave Allen (bass) and Martyn Barker (percussion) are so tight that you will shake your head in disbelief and Barry Andrews (lead vocals/keys) has such a warm voice, great tone. These three are Shriekback, and guest musicians fill in the missing links.
Not a dud on this disc but some standout tracks include... "Black Light Trap" grabs you immediately with a beefy trance-like groove accented by some nice horn arrangements; "Pretty Little Things" highlights multiple vocals backed only by percussion (skipping rimshots, bells, a milk bottle) and a jazzy keyboard lick, or "Sticky Jazz" with a sing-along R&B sounding chorus. This is such a fun record that should be remastered and brought back into circulation.