A Winning Hand?

Rip It Up, Issue 4, 1 September 1977, Page 10

A Winning Hand?

Jeremy Tempter

Poco Indian Summer ABC

Rock’n'roll, as lan Hunter once sang, is a loser's game. But there are winners as well as losers. Too bad then that Poco has been losing for nine years now. Since their move from Epic to ABC Records in 1975 and the beginning of a production colloboration with Mark Harman, the band’s improvement has been notice-

able, developing a more polished sound that is further away from their country/rock roots. The first album for ABC, Head Over Heels, was their best up to then, producing a top 50 hit in the States, “Keep On Trying”.

The next album, Rose of Cimarron, looked set to further improve their fortunes. But the title track, which with any justice would have been a king size hit, bombed and the album sold less than any of its predecessors.

Poco nearly called it quits during the recording of this, their thirteenth album, their third for ABC. But, after consideration, Rusty Young, Timothy Schmit, Paul Cotton and George Grantham have stayed together as Poco to keep on trying. Indian Summer is undoubtedly Poco's best album to date, marking the complete transformation from country to rock that earlier albums had begun. But unfortunately the album lacks the potential hit single needed to attract new listeners to a group name so well-worn.

Poco's perfect vocal harmonies form the basis of their distinctive sound but their harmonies sometimes threaten to overweigh the songs themselves. And, with the lead vocal spot seldom shared around, it is too easy for an air of sameness to prevail over an entire album.

The sameness is an illusion which disappears after close listening. In the meantime, though, the Eagles the most successful group to plough the fields originally sown by the Buffalo Springfield and the Byrds are more readily accepted. While it can only be small comfort to Poco, it is the Eagles’ lyrical banality and more simply structured songs which makes them the more popular group. And why compare diamonds to dust?