• Artist: Mental as Anything
• Rating:
• Style: New Wave
• Track Picks: "Bitter to Swallow," "Country in the Concrete," "Fiona"
• Similar Albums: Singles 45's and Under, English Settlement, Black Sea, Argybargy [Bonus Tracks], Error in the System, Every Breath You Take: The Singles, Zenyatta Mondatta, Careful, Cargo, Business as Usual, Reach the Beach, Colour by Numbers, Pleasure Victim, The Bangles

Review

Following up their biggest album yet, the Mentals rose to the occasion on this, their fourth full-length release. Though it may seem to be the little brother to 1981's Cats and Dogs, Creatures of Leisure is actually an even better album than it's predecessor. With producers Bruce Brown and Russell Dunlop again spinning the knobs, the Mentals serve up a batch of incredible songs, making the Rockpile-meets-Squeeze comparisons more accurate than ever. There's not a bad track in the bunch, with many of them already confirmed Mentals classics, including "Brain Brain" (a radio staple on U.S. college stations in '83), "Spirit Got Lost," "Bitter to Swallow," "Kissing of Her Lips," and "Close Again." Martin Plaza's already warm voice was more sincere and emotional this time out, while Greedy Smith's songwriting had matured ten-fold since the band's debut four years earlier. Reg Mombassa and Peter O'Doherty's songs were their best yet, with O'Doherty's "Red to Green" being an album standout (on an album of standouts). The Mentals' best album to date, it is a must have for pure pop fans, new wave fans, rock & roll fans, and Aussie rock fans. ~ Stephen SPAZ Schnee, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	iTunes	Composers	Performers	Time
Spirit Got Lost		Greedy Smith, Reg Mombassa	Mental as Anything	(2:59)
Float Away	...	Reg Mombassa	Mental as Anything	(2:43)
Brain, Brain	...	Peter O'Doherty	Mental as Anything	(4:37)
Bitter to Swallow	...	Greedy Smith	Mental as Anything	(3:46)
Close Again	...	Peter O'Doherty	Mental as Anything	(2:57)
Space to Let	...	Martin Plaza	Mental as Anything	(2:47)
Not Enough	...	Martin Plaza	Mental as Anything	(2:52)
Drinking of Her Lips	...	Reg Mombassa	Mental as Anything	(2:52)
Fiona	...	Greedy Smith	Mental as Anything	(3:27)
Nothing's Going Right Today	...	Martin Plaza	Mental as Anything	(3:20)
Red to Green	...	Peter O'Doherty	Mental as Anything	(3:25)
Country in the Concrete	...	Reg Mombassa	Mental as Anything	(3:01)
Let's Not Get Sentimental	...	Martin Plaza	Mental as Anything	(6:49)

Credits

Mental as Anything (Main Performer), Bruce Brown (Producer), Bruce Brown (Engineer), Wayne Delisle (Drums), Russell Dunlop (Producer), Russell Dunlop (Engineer), Peter O'Doherty (Bass), Peter O'Doherty (Guitar), Peter O'Doherty (Vocals), Martin Plaza (Guitar), Martin Plaza (Vocals), Greedy Smith (Harmonica), Greedy Smith (Keyboards), Greedy Smith (Vocals), Reg Mombassa (Guitar), Reg Mombassa (Vocals)