Released:
October 2001,
Epic, CDEPC 8190

Available at Kalahari.net

SA Rock Digest charts:
highest position: 1
weeks on Top 20: 9

Website:
Springbok Nude Girls

Sony have released the Springbok Nude Girls' swan song album, 'The Fat Lady Sings', an 18-track compilation of the band's best, favourite, most adored, and unforgettable songs from the six hectic years of their glittering career. Sixteen of these songs have appeared before on the various albums and EPs, but two of these (the farewell single 'J59' and the pounding, sentimental 'Dimmer') are brand new Theo Crouse/Arno Carstens' compositions. These two previously-unreleased songs were added to this collection as a bonus, and also possibly as a signpost to where the band's guitarist and vocalist are heading, as they attempt to find a new musical path, still under the Sony banner.

The 16 other tracks however, prove beyond all doubt that this band had it all. The look, the unique sound, the blistering energy, and the best collection of solid gold rock songs by any SA band since... well, since no-one. Like triumphant, returning heroes, the band and these songs deserve a ticker-tape parade down the main streets of Stellenbosch in an open-top Kombi, and it will be a long time until another SA band can achieve their dominance and match their consistent quality.

The album's cover is classic and effective, with its colourful tribute to those Springbok Hits cover version LPs that were the source of the band's name. The song selection is spot on with no controversial omissions. All the hits, favourites, and better B-sides are included. It's a fitting finale to a great band that may not have achieved all they believed they could, but must surely be very content with where they landed up. Goddank vir die Nude Girls' se klank!

Every (SA rock-loving) home should have one!

-- Stephen Segerman, November 2001