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Show April, 1979 Ampersand the Prestige, Barnaby and Impulse LPs Mingus cut with the late, great reedman Eric Dolphy. Don Snowden George Harrison George Harrison (Dark Horse) But even the addition of guitar work by Eric Clapton and vocals by Stevie Winwood doesn't alleviate the basic staleness of the album. There isn't the fire here of Abbey Road, Let It Be or even The Concert for Bangaladesh. This is a pleasant enough album, but one without conflict, and in the end without meaning. Orson Welles was right in The Third Man when he pointed out to Joseph Cotton that hundreds of years of peace in Switzerland could only produce the cuckoo clock. It seems that the Beatles without stress can produce only . . well, silly love songs. 19 display little evidence of serious artistic intention, they've managed to deliver a consisrecord. tent, competent if superficial Steven X. Rea Billy Burnette . ("Shoo-Be-Doo"- t, self-obsess- ed not-easi- ly . post-Beatle- note-for-no- te s. Billy Burnette (Polydor) There's a certain broad irony in the fact that the same week that George Harrison's first Billy Burnette's debut album is a fascinating new album in stew of rockabilly, rock pop, pop rock, counyears appeared, Paul McCartney announced his try rock blues and Fifties revival. Surprisrecord-settin- g deal with Columbia in reingly, it all cooks up into a highly palatable, for his three next turn albums, McCartney enjoyable journey into the world of musical and Wings will receive a guarantee of $20 Merrill Shindler possibilities. million based on a royalty rate of $1.45 per Burnette wanders from the idiom of the the Columthan ), Fifties amount copy sold, greater through the sweet The Babys bia will earn. of the ballad world ("Walkin' country Head First (Chrysalis) Life has not been easy for the other Beatles Marsha Home"), into the ersatz oddness of since the group dissipated in the late Sixties. Head First, the Babys' third album, is their Jonathan Richman ("I Ain't No Spaceman") Which is not to say that life has been hard most fleshed-ousatisfying work to date. with hardly a missed beat or a flinch. Which the Fab Foursome are richer than Guided by producer Ron Nevison (Led Zepisn't overly surprising, considering the eclecadvocates Croesus just that creatively Ringo has pelin, UFO, Bad Company), the Babys push tic band of nouveau-rockabill- y been turning out musical-comed- y likes of he's himself about the it limit. the the to gathered quality Unfortunately, problem in while dreck John Lennon has vanished a with the young British band is that their Jody Maphis and Randy Scruggs from the sea of Earl Scruggs Revue, his producer Chips genius (listen to "Genius limits are many. John Waite's vocals, though Is Pain" on the National Lampoon''?, brilliant definable Spooner and the Moman for distinctive enough their ForeignerBad Radio Dinner album sometime for the whole Oldham. Company genericisms, are discernibly But Burnette's greatest influence comes and the one his at Harrison, story) George quiet belting, throaty fragile attempts from his family; not only is he son to songwrihas his . . well fail to resound. An underlying anemia George gone through highs vocals ter Dorsey Burnette, he's nephew to Johnny and lows. His Best of album of last year pulses through the album's nine tracks. showed a brilliant musician, both pre- - and But on a glossy, surface level, the Babys do Burnette, author of "Dreamin'," "Sweet SixBut George's 33 and 13 album fine. Wally Stocker's guitar girds up the title teen" and "Little Boy Sad." And, with a tip of the family hat, Billy covers Johnny and Dor-sey-'s of the year before was dismal, the singles track nicely; the slow tempo, orchestrated "Believe What You Say" at the top of "This Song" and "Crackerbox Palace" em- 'You (Got It)" and "Every Time I Think of side for two. And he sings the song a sight better an You" emote romantic, if somewhat adolesbarrassing, particularly than Rick Nelson ever did a generation ago. His latest album, George Harrison, hugs a cent sentiments; and the group comes up Merrill Shindler cautious middle line. There are elements of with a real surprise find: "White Lightning" the old Beatle, particularly in Harrison's a reclusive singer by Billy Nichols clean guitar work and husky voice. And guitarist first discovered by Pete Townsend. Paul Chasman there's a lot of nostalgia about the album "California," Waite's paean to his new homePaul Chasman, Solo Guitar (Rose) one of the songs, "Not Guilty," was written at land, closes the LP in a bouncier pop vein, the same time Harrison was writing "Guitar sporting an appropriate slice of L.A. rock in Traditional musicians, once they approach a level of mastery, either settle in for a lifetime Gently Weeps" and "Piggies" back in 1967. its shimmering guitar lines. While the Babys two-and-a-h- or look for new challenges and rewards. Three or four years ago Paul Chasman quit something other guitarists would sell their eyes to attain: ability on Doc Watson's material and full fluency in blue-grasHe studied jazz, eventually developing a style that combines the warmth, simplicity and humility of folk with jazz's rich voicings. Bill Monroe's "Gold Dust" on Side One is a standout example. Fingerpicked on an g acoustic guitar, it evokes the bluegrass of the original, adding harmonies that sound modern yet recall the British Isles traditional music in which bluegrass has s. line-drivin- roots. Jelly Roll Morton's "Don't You Leave Me Here," in a version that is both pretty and humorous, connects Chasman to Ry Cooder, now exploring simianother Pass territories. and George Van Epps lar Joe listeners, or anyone entranced by the voice of the guitar, for that matter, should find Chas-man'- s record rich and pleasurable. The album is currently available by mail order only: $7.25 from Rose Records, P.O. Box 13614, Portland, Oregon 97213. Byron Laursen The Marc Tanner Band No Escape (Elektra) This purports to be a rock and roll album. The guy's got long hair and sunglasses, his band plays electric guitars, drums, bass and Moog, there' re songs about standing in the spotlight, getting away, mistreating women and being high. So why does it sound like someone forgot to take their Geritol? front-li- t From the album cover to L.A. session mafia of cultural the current men represented on its tracks, No Escape is a signpost of trends which threaten to overwhelm an already ailing art form. There is no so-ch- ic if mm litest 'fe;--- v Go for the hottest new duo of the year! Billy Preston & Syreeta. Go for the hottest new soundtrack album of the year! "Fastbreak." Go for music from the Columbia Pictures release, starring Gabe Kaplan, that is now playing to cheering audiences across the country! X - r Go for it. On Motown Records & Tapes Includes the disco smash "Go For It" Produced by James Di Pasquale and David Shire. MOTOWN 1979 Motown Record Corporation |
