Frenzy (1979)

This is the pivot. Frenzy is Split Enz fully stepping away from the prog art-rock that defined the early records and leaning into something poppier and more accessible, without completely losing the quirky, theatrical streak that made them them. It’s the sound of a band figuring out the version of itself that’s about to break worldwide on True Colours, and you can hear them getting close.

I See Red opens with exactly the frenzied energy the title promises, a playful, cartoonish pop-rock anthem that grabs you by the collar, Tim Finn out front over tight, inventive playing. From there the record runs hot and cold on purpose, swinging between upbeat romps and slower, ballad-shaped moments. Give It a Whirl is all bounce and whimsy, Famous People leans on the band’s harmonies, and Stuff and Nonsense and The Roughest Toughest Game in the World pull things inward.

Not everything lands. Hermit McDermitt goes for a Dr. Seuss-ish quirk, and where that charm worked on the early demos, here it just grates. Feel free to skip it. But when the band locks into a proper pop-rock song, it’s a different story. She Got Body She Got Soul plays like the Enz covering a Don’t Shoot Me-era Elton John tune, Betty is another of Side B’s real keepers, and Abu Dhabi is a flat-out rocker, one of the best things here.

Side B is the stronger half by a clear margin, which leaves the album feeling a little front-loaded with filler. The production doesn’t help: it’s a mixed bag, some tracks crisp and tight, others noticeably rougher.

Frenzy matters more for where it’s pointing than for what it is. It’s the transitional record, the one that clears the runway for True Colours and the band’s biggest era. Worth hearing for that alone, even if it’s the least of the four proper Enz albums to this point.

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Highlight Songs:

• She Got Body She Got Soul

• Abu Dhabi

• Famous People

• Betty

Own it, Stream it, Forget about it?

Not on streaming right now, so hearing it likely means buying it. And of the first four proper Enz records, this is the weakest, with a few songs you can skip outright. There are keepers worth replaying, but tracking them down can be more trouble than it’s worth. One for the invested.

Overall Rating:

3 Stars