Shock Horror!

Liner Note Authors: Ralph Alfonso; Kimberley Rew.
Recording information: Alaska Studios, London, England (1976); Silo Studios, London, England (1976); Spaceward Studios, Cambridge, England (1976); Alaska Studios, London, England (1981); Silo Studios, London, England (1981); Spaceward Studios, Cambridge, England (1981); Alaska Studios, London, England (1982); Silo Studios, London, England (1982); Spaceward Studios, Cambridge, England (1982).
The Waves hadn't yet become Katrina & the Waves when this EP was recorded in 1981 and 1982; Kimberley Rew was still handling most of the lead vocals, and while Katrina Leskanich was on board, she was playing rhythm guitar and singing harmonies before the band realized she had the right stuff to front the band. Shock Horror! captures the Waves as they were still knocking their sound into shape, but the strength of Rew's songwriting and guitar work was already clear, and drummer Alex Cooper obviously had enough power to drive a locomotive (and the precision to make sure it arrived on time). The sessions for the EP took place while the Waves lineup was still in flux, and two songs feature Bob Jakins on bass and Vince de la Cruz on rhythm guitar, with Leskanich just handling backing vocals; while the band is solid and engaging as a five-piece, as a quartet (with Jakins out of the picture and de la Cruz moved to bass) it became tougher and more energetic, and it's significant that the two numbers with Leskanich singing lead, "Atomic Rock 'n' Roll" and "Saturday Week," are the feistiest cuts here, as the musicians dig into a leaner and rootsier style than on the other selections, and if Leskanich's vocals sometimes go a bit over the top, her performances command the spotlight in a way that Rew's, good as they are, do not. Shock Horror! sounds a long way from the work of a group that would become an international hitmaker, but the band obviously had talent and promise, and a stronger command of the studio would come with time. ~ Mark Deming