A Certain Ratio Hacienda

A CERTAIN RATIO

Manchester Hacienda

I BLINK twice, but still the fact that this is ACR doesn't sink in. Their 'development' from the graveyard to the dancefloor is nearly over. After the inspired, innovative whirlpools of ‘Flight/'Blown Away', the glistening slinky beat of ‘Sextet’ and the “Work-that-body-sugar" Hunk-Funk of ‘Guess Who’, Ratio are now dipping their toes more surely into the smooth, rippling pools of pure technique, classy inanity and a passably pleasant groove, so shallow they could play it in their sleep.

‘Multi-instrumentalists’ to a man (huh !), they run through a series of anonymous ‘Mauritian cruise music’ instrumentals full of breezy whistles, busy bass-runs, tinkering Latin touches and jazzy interludes, all built around the base of Donald Johnson's easy beat, a Herb Albert trumpet and a lazy Al Jarreau 'feel' (sic).

New vocalgirl, Carol McKenzie, has to be content with a song of "Dancin‘/Romancin'"s until, finally, they offer the boisterous energy of ‘Touch’ and ‘I Need Someone', a cool cover of ‘Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing’ and their cheerfully fresh parody of 'Knife Slits Water’.

They encore obligingly as if they'd half a mind to be Level 42, and tonight ACR simply confirmed that JAZZ plus FUNK equals: JUNK. I left them to it.

Jim Shelley