Able Tasmans "Store in a cool Place" 1995

One of the many bright lights of the New Zealand pop scene of the 1980s, Able Tasmans formed in Auckland in 1984…...Originally a trio comprised of keyboardist Graeme Humphreys, bassist Dave Beniston and drummer Craig Baxter, they initially offered a tongue-in-cheek, '60s-influenced aesthetic typified by songs like "Nelson the Cat?!!"; however, upon signing to the legendary Flying Nun label a year later to release their debut EP The Tired Sun, the Tasmans moved to a noisier and more colorful sound with the addition of singer Peter Keen and guitarist Anthony Nevison. A single, the eccentric "Buffalos," followed in 1986, and a year later the band -- now consisting of Keen, Humphreys, Beniston, organist Leslie Jonkers and drummer Stuart Greenway -- issued their full-length debut A Cuppa Tea and a Lie Down. A three-year hiatus followed as Able Tasmans' lineup continued to fluctuate; finally, in 1990, they resurfaced with Hey Spinner!, a lovely chamber pop effort recorded by the nucleus of Humphreys, Jonkers and Keen with assistance from ex-Verlaines Jane Dodd on bass, keyboardist Ron Young and drummer Craig Mason. Though cut with the same roster, 1992's Somebody Ate My Planet offered a dramatically different, denser sound with a thematic emphasis on the environment. - Artist Biography by Jason Ankenytrax:

01-Able Tasmans - That's Why 02 Giant 03 Simple 04 The Professional 05 My Name Is Peter Keen 06 Gg 300 07 The Wind Changed 08 Dog Whelk, Pt. II 09 Orenthal's Face 10 Ladies & Gentlemen 11 Mary Tyler Moore 12 Home On The Range 13 Klingon National Anthem 14 Parallax

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