the innocents

“ Had The Innocents not existed it would have been necessary to invent them. The tale is too delicious to resist. Idealistic band at the bottom of the world, perfect soaring, ringing, chiming, exhilarating, totally beguiling powerpop sound- a sumptuous mastery of the form-and, like all prophets in their own land, go without honour in said land. But in other lands the word goes forth and the sound is celebrated.
Their deft structures, their heavenly harmonies, their sense of energy and their instinctive understanding of pop’s true principles set them high as one of the lower continent’s most important musical contributions to the world (whether all the world quite realizes it or not). The fact that they’re all fine lads just ices the cake.”

Glenn A. Baker-Writer/Broadcaster/Enthusiast
- Zip Records/Wizzard in Vinyl

“ The real surprise is that after 20 years in the wilderness the band is sounding better than ever……..I caught one of the smoothest sets in living memory. “I Wouldn’t Have it any other Way”, in particular, was achingly beautiful. It was like checking into The Hilton and sleeping on clean satin sheets after six weeks on rough cotton, without having washed them once.”

Bernard Zuel (Sydney Morning Herald-Australia)
- Sydney Morning Herald, Australia March 2003

“ Seeing The Innocents perform “live” was definitely one of the highlights of the International Pop Overthrow festival (July 2000)…. The Innocents are certainly one of Australia’s musical treasures.”

John Borack- Goldmine Magazine USA
- Goldmine Magazine USA- November 2000

“ I’ve seen a gig by Neil Young that was transcendent, I saw Tism at their height at the Palace Theatre in Melbourne, I’ve seen Vince Jones’s band play better than any musicians I’ve ever witnessed, I’ve seen the Stones, Dylan and the Birdmen fly but the best live gigs ever were by The Innocents.”

Bruce Hudson - Queensland, Australia
- "The World-wide Web"

1. 2006
The TOP TWENTY ALBUMS OF THE YEAR, according to MICHAEL KEEFE:
20. The Innocents: Pop Factory

After disappearing sometime in the eighties, these Australian power-poppers have returned at full force with the ridiculously hooky Pop Factory. Matching the wistful melodies of Crowded House with the sugary bounce of the Monkees and the punch of Badfinger, the Innocents are the quintessential post-Beatles guitar-pop band. They're great at Cheap Trick-lite big riffs, moodily introspective songs, and every tempo in between. Each track has its own story to tell, along with plenty of memorable melodic moments. Although almost completely devoid of cool, the purity and quality of the Innocents' pop is irresistible.

2. Innocents - "Pop Factory" cd (Zip)
This Tasmanian group was very one of the most important power pop bands in all of Australia during the late '70s (when they were known as Beathoven) and the early '80s. They took their musical cues from the Raspberries, the Easybeats, Badfinger, and of course, the Beatles, and at their prime were HUGE in their homeland. The band disintegrated in the mid '80s, but thanks to a key appearance at 2000's IPO in Los Angeles, followed by a highly successful double-disc career retrospective (the indispensable "No Hit Wonders From Down Under" on Zip) a few years later, they've decided to give it a go again. While reunions after such a large hiatus typically range from mediocre to disastrous, I'm happy to say that the Innocents managed to find the spark that made their early records so magical; in fact, this album is better than the one that preceded their breakup! They prove this point by re-recording one of their earlier classics, "I Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way", and doing a fine job of it. There are a few low points on the album (especially "While I Sleep" and a couple of the other slower songs), but some of these new songs, like "Your Precious Touch", "My Home Town" and "Nothing Like Success" would've easily fit in with their early '80s material! MTQ=10/13


3. REVIEWS FROM DAGGER

THE INNOCENTS- POP FACTORY- ZIP- I guess this Aussie band (Tasmania, actually) have been around since yee olde days (they had a record in 1976 under their earlier incarnation , known as Beathoven). So yeah, they’re old, they probably have kids, wives, mortgage payments ,some gray hair and pot bellies (like me !) but who cares...they can write some infectious pop tunes ! I knew I was gonna like this when I first saw the Archies-esque cd cover (reminded me a bit of the Florapop records) plus when I went to their website and saw they were influenced by Badfinger and AC/DC (who they toured with back in 1979 ). POP FACTORY is full of the type of energetic pop that never goes out of style (at least not in my household). The record opens with the charging “Your Precious Touch” then rips right into the hooky “I wouldn’t have it any other Way”, into the upbeat “My Hometown” then they slow it down a bit for “Out on a Limb” and …well, you get the picture. Great tunes, meaty hooks, glorious choruses, et. al. Another A+ from the Zip label. ( www.zipreccords.com )





4.Review of The Innocents-Pop Factory (Zip)
The Innocents evolved from an Australian power pop band called Beathoven, which scored a few hits down under back in the 1970s; while the Innocents had talent to spare, they didn't have the same luck as their earlier incarnation, and significantly a retrospective collection of their 1980s recordings was called No Hit Wonders from Down Under. However, despite wives, kids, and day jobs, the Innocents never completely gave up the ghost, and 2006's Pop Factory shows they haven't lost a bit of their touch over the years. Pop Factory is a glorious collection of sun-dappled melodies, superb harmonies, chiming guitars, and songs that would have done the Hollies or Badfinger proud once upon a time. Guitarists David Minchin, Rob Smith, and Charles Touber and bassist Greg Cracknell all sing and write the tunes, and each delivers the goods here, from the small-time musician's lament "Here Comes the Loser" to the glorious upbeat romance of "Your Precious Touch," and their production smarts are just as keen as their musicianship. While sunny pop is the order of the day (for the most part), they know how to crank up the tempo when the tune demands it, and the rock guitar figures on "While I Sleep" suggest they remember what it was like to open for AC/DC all those years ago. Pop Factory doesn't sound like the work of a handful of week-enders trying to relive their brief moment of pop stardom, but instead stands as a mature and vital work from a band that is as talented and committed as anyone making classic-style pop today. Those wishing that either Alex Chilton or Eric Carmen would come to their senses and make great records again will find new heroes after giving the Innocents a listen. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide

5.Eric Sorensen:

Pop Factory - the Innocents. This is a brand new, thirteen-song disc from an Australian pop band that has wowed pop audiences for twenty-five years. The first track, “Your Precious Touch,” sounds like classic Knack/Rubinoos tune … that kick-starts the album. The lads plug in their Rickenbacker 12-string guitar on the aforementioned tune, “Last Night” and “Nothing Succeeds Like Success.” Whether their music is rooted in the 60s, 70s or 80s, Pop Factory proves that the Innocents deserve to be referred to as “timeless!”
- Worldwide Web - look, go see

http://sixsquare.com/blog/keefe/yim_2006.htm

http://www.indiepages.com/reviews/reviews.html?query=I&search=letter

http://www.indiepages.com/dagger/reviews22.html

http://www.answers.com/topic/pop-factory-2006-album-by-innocents

http://www.fufkin.com/columns/sorensen/sorensen_07_08_09_06.htm - the Web