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Album review

 
Sunday Times, (UK) 30 October, 2005
 
LAUGHING CLOWNS – Cruel, But Fair [album info]
3 CD Box Set, Hot Records #1088
 

In the early 1980s, lots of musicians claimed to be mixing punk and jazz, but few had the insouciant charm of Ed Kuepper's Laughing Clowns. As the founder of Australia's Saints – the first punk band to chart in Britain – Kuepper could have grown old disgracefully, but split to form Laughing Clowns, adding harsh brass sounds to a loose-limbed rock template. Kuepper tried to croon, drummer Jeffrey Wegener floated freely all over the kit, and a succession of sax players suggested Archie Shepp going garage punk . Here is a beautiful three-cd collection of everything the Laughing Clowns recorded from 1979 to 1984. It makes most other bands sound cowardly.

**** 4 stars

Review by SL.

 
 
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