Contraband: The Best of Men at Work

Men At Work: Colin Hay (vocals, guitar); Ron Strykert (guitar); Greg Ham (flute, saxophone, keyboards); John Rees (bass); Jerry Speiser (drums).
Producers: Peter McIan; Colin Hay, Greg Ham.
Compilation producer: Bruce Dickinson.
Recorded between 1981 and 1984. Includes liner notes by Evan Hosie.
1981 was a big year for Australia's Men At Work. The band's debut BUSINESS AS USUAL went to #1, spawned two #1 singles ("Who Can it be Now" and "Down Under") and got the band heavy rotation on MTV. In short, Men At Work were everywhere. Almost as quickly though, the band slipped out of public favor. When Men At Work split in 1986, no one really noticed. CONTRABAND culls the brightest moments from the band's brief recording career. On the surface, it's an enjoyable but light collection of radio fodder. Underneath nearly every airy pop hook however, lies a tale of loneliness and alienation.
The haunting "Overkill" and "It's a Mistake" both carry more weight than the bulk of the '80s new wave hits they got lumped in with. Even the massive "Who Can it Be Now" is a picture of crippling isolation. The collection draws equally and oddly without regard to chronological order from the band's three studio albums (most will be surprised to find out the band even recorded a third record), with one live track thrown in for good measure.