Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
AN ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL PURCHASE!!!, 23 Jan 2005
This album is 100 per cent Sweet, the record where the strings were cut and the band went it alone. The production is handled admirably by Scott, Connolly, Tucker and Priest and every song is a band composition. GIVE US A WINK was recorded for the most part at Musicland Studios in Munich with engineer Mack (who was later to work extensively with Queen.) Part of the recording process was watched by Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones who was particularly interested in the sound Mick Tucker had achieved in recording his drumming. (Coincidently the next Zeppelin album, PRESENCE was recorded in the same studio.) The recording was completed back in London at Ian Gillan`s Kingsway Recorders. There were two singles lifted from GIVE US A WINK, the first being ACTION, a fast and furious rocker which unfortunately only made number 16 in the charts but remains a classic to this day. It was covered by Def Leppard in the Nineties and provided the Sheffield lads with a hit! The other single LIES IN YOUR EYES fared even worse and proved to be the last hit Sweet would have for a couple of years. It was like the Stones and The Who rolled into one but heavier! The songs on this album were probably the hardest rockers Sweet ever recorded, punctuated by longer instrumental passages, which gave the band the opportunity to prove themselves the fine musicians they had always claimed to be and undoubtedly were. YESTERDAY`S RAIN is a superb track with phased guitar and very clever lyrics. COCKROACH is a fine example of the thunderous new drum sound mentioned previously whilst KEEP IT IN sees the band tying themselves in musical knots on the instrumental mid segment. WHITE MICE is a must for anyone who loves harmony guitarwork. The album closes with an experimental, lengthy, semi-funky plodder called HEALER. Great stuff! Sweet were reviled at the time this album was originally released for ripping off all the great bands of the Seventies but in doing so they came up with something unique! GIVE US A WINK is an essential album for any classic rock collection. Don`t hesitate to purchase. This latest reissue of the album also features some interesting out-takes.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A HARD TYPE OF SWEET!, 13 Nov 2005
When i first heard this album back in 1976 it blowed me away with its sheer power and now with this new remastered version with bonus tracks the sound is even better,it contains two of the bands singles "action"and "lies in your eyes"which are great rocking tracks,there is plenty of good guitar and drum work on this cd thanks to andy scott and mick tucker with "yesterdays rain" and "keep it in" comming to mind,brian connollys vocals have never sounded stronger yes this was "sweet" at their hardest you will not be dissapointed with this cd!
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6 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Going down......., 8 Dec 2006
After splitting with the Chinn-Chapman songwriting/production/management team in early 1975, Sweet delivered two fabulous self-penned hit singles "Fox On The Run" and "Action". And then ran into trouble, probably more so in Britain than anywhere else.
"Give Us A Wink" was recorded in Germany during 1975. The first all-band written and produced set, Sweet eagerly get down to exploiting their musical ideas and influences.
Unfortunately, it doesn't work out as well as it should. The initial discipline shown on "Fox On The Run" and "Action" seems to have been lost on these sessions. The band's production isn't as strong as either Phil Wainman's or Mike Chapman's - melodies are buried under an assault of muddily-produced heavy metal guitar. Drums seem dull and distant. However, Sweet's high vocal harmonies still shine through luckily.
It isn't all bad news. Stand-out track "Keep It In" is a forceful rocker showcasing both Andy Scott's guitar pyrotechnics and Mick Tucker's drum prowess. The sound here is good, it's a shame the rest of the album isn't. Quality control issues......
The single "Lies In Your Eyes" is typical mid-70s Sweet, pounding drums, heavy guitar, high vocals. This track desperately wants to be "The Sixteens". But it's all a bit heard-it-all-before and not a patch on anything pre-1975.
"Give Us A Wink" failed to chart in Britain, but was massive on mainland Europe, particularly in Germany. Sweet now concentrated their efforts on these territories and America, where their earlier work was becoming successful.
Sweet really needed a strong hand on proceedings for "Give Us A Wink". They had their freedom and wanted to do with it what they felt like. But it didn't mean anything anymore......
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