's first album shows them to be a band with plenty of smarts in the style of, say, or ; in fact, the hit off was a cover of 's here given a somewhat cheerier reading than the more doom-laden original version (when it was known as ). stay true to the spirit of 's song, however, and as a result come up with a uniquely winning record about the drudgery of life in a communist country. Elsewhere, the band offers up a few original songs that are just as good as including the literate, lovelorn lament ; the memorable a scathing attack on the Toronto police force; and an accordion-laced directed to a blow-up love doll. Beyond these songs (all of which were released as singles), things get a little spotty, however, as the selections range from good, straightforward rockers ( ) to filler ( a recitation) to at least one outright misfire (the abrasive which seems to have wandered in from another record). Still, there are enough worthwhile moments on this release to recommend it to anyone who enjoyed the hit single or to anyone with an interest in '80s in general. It's just a shame weren't able to consolidate their strengths and come up with a top-to-bottom winner. [ was re-released on CD by in 2000.] ~ Rudyard Kennedy