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Any
Trouble Open Fire - Live at the Venue
Liking Any Trouble doesn't make me feel guilty anymore. Recommended by this paper – this writer (?) actually – with an enthusiasm that probably left the group red at the neck with flustered embarrassment, Any Trouble's album was elsewhere given unmerciful stick. Much of the time, it seemed like the chaps were being kicked round the houses because they had reminded some critics that they could also be fans. Under attack for reasons that had little to do with the quality of the music, Any Trouble remained good-humoured, persevered and finally came up with a decisive reply to the critics with their second album, “Wheels in Motion”.
Last Wednesday's bash at the Venue was more than a showcase for the new record: it was a triumphant vindication of every claim made for their excellence. Defiant from the bell, they opened with the two fisted dynamics of “Open Fire”; suddenly, the dancefloor was the only place to be. Caught square in the slipstream of the initial assault, it seemed damned unlikely that anyone could find Any Trouble less than totally irresistible. Clive Gregson writes the kind of songs that could single-handedly support the jukebox industry. Packed with hooks, they never seem crowded; tingling with incident, they have a perfect sense of pace and measure: sparkling, they're never just glossy, and they have your heart in handcuffs from the first flutter of his guitar, the first vocal intimation.
Most groups have one good shot: Any Trouble dont even bother to count the ammunition. Having reached an early climax with an achingly moving version of “Dimming Of The Day” (graced by an eloquent Chris Parks guitar solo), they regrouped, reloaded and fired off a furious volley that included “Romance” and a rattling “Second Choice” and an inspired juxtaposition of the epic “Walking in Chains” and the unsettling drama of “Eastern Promise”. With the late exception of the starkly somber “The Sun Never Sets”, the rest of the set was dedicated to the ankles with an especially fearsome version of “Turning Up The Heat” threatening to dislocate the knees.
Reluctant to acknowledge closing time, Gregson lead the group back in a trio of encores. Augmented by the Q-Tips brass section, they weighed in with a dashing version of “Wheels in Motion” and flamboyantly grooving “Rock 'n' Roll Shoes”. And then there was Gregson, alone in the spotlight, crooning “Girls Are Always Right”, Chris Parks deftly placed guitar lines heralding the group's powerful punctuation. As Any Trouble left the stage for the last time, Gregson paused for a moment to savour the audience's applause, genuinely moved; genuinely moving.
– Allan Jones, Melody Maker.
Wheels In Motion
Any Trouble's 1980 debut was a wonderful slice of new wave flavored pub/pop/rock, which despite a fair amount of critical buzz, never really delivered on its commercial promise. With its second release, 1981's Wheels in Motion, produced by Mike Howlett (A Flock of Seagulls, Berlin), the band took a slightly more sophisticated, studio approach with singer/songwriter Clive Gregson's songs, veering away from the breakneck, live energy of Where Are All the Nice Girls?, which for the most part simply captured their feverish stage act in a studio setting. Still, whatever spark Wheels in Motion may lack is negligible thanks to the caliber of the material here. A handful of first-rate Gregson originals kick-start the proceedings, including the cautionary, albeit hopeful opener, "Trouble With Love," the irresistible power pop of "Open Fire" and the infectious rocker, "As Lovers Do." Several cuts in, the deliberate "Eastern Promise" is nearly as good, while "Power Cut" ranks just a rung below. Elsewhere, Richard Thompson's "Dimming of the Day," the only non-Gregson original, is given a slick, but affecting treatment. Moments of heavy-handed cynicism, as on the otherwise terrific, "Walking in Chains," as well as a couple of lackluster tracks drag things down to some extent, but still Wheels in Motion's highlights rank with the best work of Clive Gregson's career, both with and without Any Trouble.
- Brett Hartenbach , All Music Guide.