Immunity - Rupert Hine

The late Rupert Hine was a producer of the highest order who made incredible albums with SAGA, The Fixx, Howard Jones and Eight Seconds to name just a few. I knew he had a solo career that was a bit sporadic, but never heard any of his stuff. He released a trio of albums in the '80s. Starting with this one,  Immunity in '81 then he would drop another in '82 and finally one more in '83 and then he'd take over a decade before releasing his last solo album in 1994.

I bought this as a curiosity, and really had no idea what to expect. Sometimes a producers fingerprints are unmistakable and are every where regardless of the act they're working with. Yeah, I'm thinking of David Foster ... although I do have to say The Tubes were the exception to the rule ... but you know what I mean. Rupert Hine's work with other artists was transparent. His style seemed to provide focus to the band he was producing, and he brought out their best work. 

Immunity is an odd work.

I suppose this is loosely categorized as synth-pop ... but alternative art rock is more appropriate. This was not exactly a pleasing to the ears experience the first time through, but it was oddly engaging and I kept imagining this was a demented Gary Numan album. The oddly spoken / singing voice is a little less robotic that Mr. Numan, but it is effective and there are times when I found myself fully engaged. 

By the second time through I couldn't remember why I thought this wasn't pleasing to the ear. The album opens with "I Hang on to my Vertigo" and it's a broody piece that features some really great atmospheric guitar work by Phil Palmer. Listening to this it made me think of Kate Bush. Although I'm not the deepest font of knowledge when it comes to her work, but it had that same sort of feel. Heck if I'm going to drop early '80s new wave synth references I may as well throw in New Muzik. Dang I'll just go big and compare this to Roger Taylor's Fun in Space and Nick Mason's Fictitious Sports also released in 1981.

This was really, really good and was right on the bleeding edge of that first new wave of artists who were embracing technology to produce the future. Of course what was bleeding edge then is now trite and a little cliched and dated ... in a cute and nostalgic way.

But for this is a time capsule and man I was more than a little surprised at how much I enjoyed listening to this. I didn't just listen once or twice this played for a couple of days off and on. Rupert Hine makes the most of his limited vocal range, and frankly it totally works in the context of the songs here.

The credits are an interesting read. The top line is a simple, All instruments and sound processed by RUPERT HINE ... except, and then goes on to list the guests who provided the extra textures that pushed things over the top on selected tracks:

• Phil Palmer on guitar
• Phil Collins - percussion
• Trevor Morais - percussion and drums
• Marianne Faithful - vocals
• Geoffrey Richardson - viola
• Ollie W. Taylor - clarinet and recorder

I hesitate to mention highlights as the album is a pretty cohesive piece of music that really flows from one song to another. Some of these are really catchy, and some are downright eerie. Oh well, everyone loves a list, I'll mention my highlights. Like I said earlier the album kicks off with "Hang on to my Vertigo" and while good, it merely sets the stage for what was to come. "Misplaced Love" features a vocal from Marianne Faithfull that is really good, and I really liked "Surface Tension" which was likely my favourite on side one ... but it was followed by the really cool, almost Roger Watersesque (it was the vocals) "I Think A Man Will Hang Soon" that really felt like a short ghost story.

The second side opens with the title track "Immunity" and just kept getting better. There was something awesomely goofy and infectious about "Psycho Surrender" with the repeated "Boredom boredom boredom" I played the song a couple of times just so I could hear it again. The album's closer "Make a Wish" is another highlight.

I suppose I could have just listed the tracks in order and provided a little summary of what I liked, but that felt like extra work, and now that I'm almost done I'm not sure how much time and effort was actually saved.

Funny, for an album where I had zero expectations, other than than exercising my curiosity about what a solo Rupert Hine album sounded like I got far more than I bargained for. This was a really cool surprise and frankly if I was to stumble on to more of Rupert's solo work I'll pick it up.

Of course you may have a different opinion and that's fine. This is my blog and as such I have immunity from any rebuttals that I don't agree with ... I should have stopped earlier. 

Oh well too late now.