Named after Errol Flynn’s yacht, Australian Crawl’s sophomore release Sirocco should have been their breakout album in U.S. It became the band’s first chart-topper in their home country, but didn’t manage anywhere near that level of success on the Billboard charts.
Australian Crawl had built local momentum with 1980’s The Boys Light Up, produced by ex-Little River band guitarist David Briggs, and label EMI was eager for a quick release to follow it up. To relieve some of the pressure on vocalist and primary songwriter James Reyne, Guy McDonough was brought in as another composer and vocalist. McDonough also filled out Australian Crawl’s sound a bit more, becoming their third guitarist along with Simon Binks and Brad Robinson.
McDonough was welcomed into the band with open arms. He ended up singing lead on two of this album’s three singles – “Errol” and “Oh No Not You Again” – and had a co-writing credit on the third one, “Things Don’t Seem.” His voice also bore an uncanny similarity to Reyne’s, allowing the two to sing each other’s material live should it ever have been necessary.
Not being a fan of David Briggs’ studio style, Australian Crawl opted to part ways with him and to work with Peter Dawkins this time. He brought to the studio a considerably more laidback and relaxed vibe that came through on Sirocco from start to finish.
The album opens with the uptempo “Things Don’t Seem” (also the first single), written by McDonough and Sean Higgins – a former bandmate of McDonough’s in the Flatheads. McDonough deferred to vocalist James Reyne on this track but he’d later record his own version, and it appeared on the posthumously released solo album My Place. The original Australian Crawl take had a rather straight rock beat, while Guy McDonough’s solo version went with more of a reggae rhythm that the Crawl incidentally used on many of their other songs.
“Unpublished Critics,” perhaps Australian Crawl’s best album cut, has a catchy rhythm and riff that is vaguely reminiscent of “Sweet Child o’ Mine,” the Guns N’ Roses smash from six years later. Indeed, some Crawl fans even initially cried plagiarism. Simon Binks quelled those concerns, saying he was flattered by the insinuation but highly doubted Axl Rose and Slash were jamming on Aussie New Wave surf rock while at work on Appetite for Destruction.
Instrumentally, the Reyne-penned “Love (Beats Me Up)” is arguably the strongest track on the album. Drummer Bill McDonough lays down a reggae groove that guitarists Simon Binks, Brad Robinson, and Guy McDonough all dance around. It’s an absolute delight to listen to, with brilliantly subtle guitar flourishes and Reyne’s trademark vocals. McDonough’s “Oh No Not You Again,” the final released single, is accented by similarly subtle guitar, McDonough’s lead vocals and James Reyne’s harmonies. This catchy song finds its way into the listener’s ears and takes up residence long after the music has finished playing.
On the other hand, Reyne’s “Lakeside” is enjoyable but arguably not as memorable as any of the preceding tracks. The catchy, upbeat “Trusting You” showcases Reyne’s trademark vocal style, which is so unintelligible at times that it’s been lampooned over the years. Perhaps most unique is Reyne’s pronunciation of the title as “troooosting yoooou.”
“Errol,” the second single, served as Guy McDonough’s introduction to the listening public. He and James Reyne share the microphone, but McDonough does most of the heavy lifting on the vocals. The song is, of course, about the late Australian actor Errol Flynn: What an icon he was for a generation of Aussies as he’d cracked the U.S. film industry and made a name for himself. The music video is a fun little romp, characteristic of the era in which it was released, and the song is undeniably catchy and fun. “Errol” is a highlight on Sirocco.
The Simon Binks-penned “Can I Be Sure” is probably one of the weaker songs on the album, and it’s still a damn good song. That is to say, it’s only one of the weaker songs on this project because Sirocco as a whole is as strong as it is. In fact, “Can I Be Sure” is arguably better than much of the material on Australia Crawl’s third album, Sons of Beaches. With a country-esque rhythm, the fun “Easy On Your Own” provides another showcase for the band’s three harmonizing guitarists.
Bill McDonough’s “Love Boys” features a rather scorching guitar solo, and more of Reyne’s unintelligible vocals. If you were to caption the lyrics, you’d see recognizable words mixed with a slew of question marks. But Reyne’s vocal style remains part of Australian Crawl’s undying charm and appeal. They close out Sirocco with the Guy McDonough-penned and -sung “Resort Girls.” While McDonough’s phrasing was similar to Reyne’s, his voice was smoother and thus easier to understand. Much like on “Errol,” Reyne provides strong harmony backing for McDonough’s leads.
Sirocco finished 1981 as the second best-selling album in Australia, behind only John Lennon’s Double Fantasy and ahead of AC/DC’s Black in Black – and that was well deserved. Having heard their entire catalog, Sirocco is Australian Crawl at their best, even if it didn’t catch on with as many international fans.
This album has an easy laidback feel that wasn’t quite there with some of the others. You hear it all over again on the newly remastered 180g clear-vinyl version of Sirocco, released to commemorate the album’s 40th anniversary. This studio project is, of course, a joy in any format but this new version is crisp and warm, like an afternoon breeze on a hot summer day. Of course, the Down Under import is not exactly cheap, but as someone who has fallen in love with Australian Crawl, it was worth every penny.
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