Drongos

  • Drongos
  • The Drongos (Proteus) 1984 
  • Small Miracles (Proteus) 1985 

A folky rock-pop quartet originally from New Zealand, the Drongos’ eponymous debut (recorded in different sessions between 1981 and 1983) consists of unassuming songs about nebulous topics — nicely energized but a bit dull to make any serious impact. A few show melodic flair, and enthusiastic guitar strumming doesn’t hurt the effort. Small Miracles was recorded live one day in September 1984 at four locations on the streets of New York, providing a unique audio experience. Although they’ve got a lot of pluck, the Drongos are too plain to attract notice, especially in such a jaded town as New York, where pedestrians have seen (and heard) just about everything.

[Terry Rompers]