The Nitecaps
had a pretty respectable pedigree for fans of early New York punk -- lead singer and guitarist
Jahn Xavier
had been a member of
Richard Hell
's
Voidoids
under the name
Xcessive
, bassist
Peter Jordan
was a roadie for
the New York Dolls
who took over for
Arthur Kane
in the latter days of the band, and drummer
Sammy Brown
was in
Stumblebunny
alongside
Jordan
. But
the Nitecaps
were an updated R&B show band, playing lean, soul-influenced rock & roll with the help of a four-piece horn section (who, as
the Uptown Horns
, would go on to a successful career of their own).
' first album, 1982's
Go to the Line
, makes it clear that this was a very good band --
Xavier
could sing R&B with the passionate swagger of a New York rock & roller, guitarist
Al Maddy
's leads were tight and crisp, and
and
Brown
were a rhythm section that could groove solid or kick out the jams at will. The horn arrangements give the songs all the punch and dynamics they need, and the production by
Clive Langer
Alan Winstanley
is roomy and powerful. The only problem is that the songs on
aren't especially good; it's unfortunately significant that the most memorable tunes are covers ("Give Me One More Chance" by
Wilmer Alexander, Jr. & the Dukes
and a closing medley of songs by
the Zombies
the Easybeats
), and that for all the energy and chops on display on this record, most of the songs never quite take off. There are more than a few solid moments on
, but it's unfortunate that a group as talented as
couldn't have had the good sense to recruit a songwriter as gifted as the bandmembers were. ~ Mark Deming