RECORDS

Rip It Up, Issue 17, 1 November 1978, Page 12

RECORDS

Are We ip De^p?)

K Still the best after fall these I years

Beach Boys Bounce Back

The Beach Boys M.I.U. Album Reprise Ready for some critical insight? measuring success, commercial criteria are different from artist criteria." (Phew!) Consider the Beach Boys.

In commercial terms their career has gone steadily downhill throughout the 70 s. From very healthy sales of Surfs Up in 71 the subsequent Carl and The Passions bombed so badly that Warners almost refused to continue financing Holland when recording got behind schedule. Sure. Capitol have done very nicely repackaging the 60 s hits but new material has continually failed. 75 Big Ones and last year’s Love You were both complete flops. So the new album is released with no ballyhoo whatever, no inner sleeve, no promotional material. Even its title is low profile. (M.I.U. is a recording studio.) What about artistic success? Most folks agree that Surf's Up was definitely a gem. Carl and The Passions definitely wasn’t, and Holland was a mixture. Then came Brian’s return and opinions diverged. Colleague William Dart, for example, regards Love You as an outstanding achievement while I find it virtually unlistenable. But I surely love the new album. Side One's something of a mixture: two oldies. some newies and a spot of self-imitation. The new songs are competent enough. "Kona Coast" is about returning to "Hawaii" so it reuses the harmony hook from that earlier song. Carl sings Buddy Holly’s "Peggy Sue” which could be a leftover from 75 Big Ones. The surprise is "Come Go With Me", a lovely acknowledgement of the group's debt to the doo-wop tradition. Originally a Dell-Vikings' hit in ’57 it is sung quite straight, complete with echoed finger snapping and honking sax. If Side One tends towards mimicry. Side Two offers genuine re-creation and the most consistently enjoyable sequence of songs they've done for ages. Furthermore, Brian wrote or cowrote all except one and. although nearly all lead vocals are by Mike. Brian's solo spot is a

vast improvement over his croaking on Love You.

Most numbers return to that lighthearted vocal joy by which the Beach Boys invented California in the 60’s. Of course they’re older now. so when banks of strings buoy up somewhat thinner harmonies you’ve got to allow a bit of soft focus.

The lush production is by Al Jardine and one Ron Altbach who also co-wrote three songs, including the gorgeous “Winds of Change" which closes the album. If he can write any more like this the group better hang on to him. This album shows that the Beach Boys are capable of returning to former heights by refurbishing their original simple strengths good tunes and catchy harmonies But will they sell again? God only knows; I’m just a reviewer, not manager of WEA. Peter Thomson

David Bowie

Stage RCA Recorded earlier this year during the first half of his world tour, Stage represents the current David Bowie persona and live performance. The focus understandandably enough is on his last two albums. Low and Heroes , two-thirds of a trilogy destined to be completed on Warners as Bowie insists that Stage completes his recording commitments for RCA. This double live album would certainly be an auspicious way of saying ta-ta to any label because it belittles any other live recording I’ve heard in recent years. Record One is Bowie looking back to his pre-Berlin days, mainly to Ziggy Stardust represented by five songs that have more than just nostalgic period piece interest. His present band definitely sounds like his best ever line-up as they fluidly glide through the Ziggy bracket neatly folding one song onto another. "Five Years" is particularly interesting as Bowie sings it so reverently that for him it appears to have new meaning. Roger Powell’s synthesiser simulating the train intro leads the band through a breathless version of “Station to Station”, but it’s a potent “Fame”, complete with vocal effects, and a rollicking “TVC 15" that provide the real excitement to wind up Record One. Record Two is devoted to the Low/Heroes excerpts, and these, although self contained, would have made a great single live album, and serve as an effective contrast to his previous work, a contrast which arguably reveals the superiority of his last two albums. Low was pessimism at work, “a withdrawal time”, as Bowie calls it when he was stuck for words and so started playing musical textures with Eno, a collaboration that continued on the more hopeful world of Heroes. On Stage the songs from these albums are performed with more verve and colour than the mechanical exactness that pervaded the studio recordings. Sure this is a distinction that you can make about many live/studio albums, but in Bowie’s case there’s more to it. He sounds as if he’s enjoying himself fronting a band that never falters; the rhythm section of George Murray and Dennis Davis are so controlled and yet energetic, and lead guitarist Adrian Belew is outstanding especially on “What in the World” and “Breaking Glass”. On the instrumentals, "Warszawa”, “Art Decade" and “Sense of Doubt” Bowie is helped out by Roger Powell and Sean Mayes (String Ensemble) and the textural effects are overpowering. Stage, then, is an illustration of an artist who has reserves of pose and panache and who is in command of his abilities here and now, but I’m offering no guarantees that this album will accurately reflect his state or ‘stage’ of mind say a year from now. But we don’t have to wait that long, and by the evidence on Stage it would be unforgiveable to miss his shows when he arrives here. George Kay

Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! Devo Warner Bros Imagine waking up in 1984, switching on the radio and hearing nothing but Metal Machine Music, no matter what station you turned to, any hour of the day. Devo don’t just imagine it, they live it. The favourite sons of Akron, Ohio, have taken the ugly industrial images of their stamping ground and produced a new art form that is stagnant yet innovative, stupefying and stimulating at the same time. The theory of de-evolution is logical when looked at with foresight. If a statement is made, then the opposite must also be true. Once you accept that, it all makes sense. Do you believe in Darwin’s theory of evolution? In that case, surely de-evolution must also ring true. If we are descended from protozoa then we must one day return to that form. The truth lies in the soil. Ashes to ashes, and all that. Devo put forth the proposition that mankind is in a state of de-evolution even now. The industrial revolution has turned us all into obedient little cyphers, willing to do our masters' bidding for the sake of the almighty dollar, to conform to set patterns, to look and dress alike if it means success. Devo make computerised sounds for a computerised age. Melody, rhythm, harmony, are all mere words, dust beneath the wheels. At the same time, don’t be deceived that Devo do not rock, albeit in their own style. Listen to them disembowel Satisfaction". You can fashion your own robot dance to it, even if you’ve never been to a disco in your life. Get the picture? If Bowie’s Low was the forecast, then Devo is the long-range outlook. Music to stare at the wall to. Devo are presently making the only modern music. You too can be a Devo-tee. It takes little effort. In fact, it takes no effort at all. Just sit tight, be complacent and let the machine overwhelm you. On the other hand, if you are truly Devo, the opposite can be just as true. So what are you doing about it? Duncan Campbell Blondie Parallel Lines Chrysalis If Blondie don’t become household-name fodder, it won’t be for want tb trying. With each album, they've produced a sound that has steadily progressed, becoming more polished, more disciplined, and much cuter. Parallel Lines, their third, shows the band establishing its identity in sound to augment Debbie Harry’s undeniable visual appeal. Blondie can now be truly said to have divorced themselves from both the New York and New Wave tags.

This album shows a maturity of talent and perhaps just a shade more continuity than its excellent predecessor, Plastic Letters, which seemed to skip from one stream of influence to the next.

The band has gained two new members in Frank Infante (guitar) and Nigel Harrison (bass), which has given a fuller sound and allowed more composing talent to be aired. Songs like “One Way Or Another,” “Pretty Baby" and "Sunday Girl” are delightful slices of pure pop, something missing from the airwaves too much today. “Will Anything Happen” and “I Know” nod back to the early Noo Yawk days, while "Face Away and Radiate" lets Debbie give a mesmerising vocal performance and recalls acid rock just faintly, though there’s not a hint of plagiarism. Everyone should have a Blondie album, just to give something to smile about. This group ha the collective heart of a teenager, and gets a kick out of making music that just entertains, and does not pontificate. Duncan Campbell

Pablo Cruise Worlds Away A & M “Love Will Find A Way,” the album’s hit single, is a summertime pop delight. I play it on the Lamborghini’s cassette deck all day while cruising the beaches with Cheryl Tiegs. (Actually it’s her car.) But one single doth not make an album, let alone a summer. Unfortunately nothing else here quite reaches the single’s sublime standard, although the title track and “Always Be Together” are pretty catchy. Nearly every number has a striking instrumental introduction but it often promises more than the song delivers. Sometimes the best moments come from David Jenkins’ tasty guitar breaks. All tracks, “I Go To Rio” apart, are selfpenned although none sound particularly original. The problem lies largely in overlyinfluenced arrangements. The single, for example, couples melodic phrasing from the Captain and Tenille with a Fleetwood Mac beat. Elsewhere, borrowed styles range from Boz Scaggs to Elvin Bishop. 0.K., eclecticism’s fine but this band performs its influences so well it occasionally seems in danger of obviating any distinctive identity of its own. Nonetheless, Pablo Cruise creates a fresh, happy, summer sound. One member plays tennis at a club named Sun Falls. Cheryl and I might drive over for a game. . . V Peter Thomson The Beatles Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band EMI The Beatles Sgt Peppers album brought into focus one aspect of popular music that has only on rare occasions lowered its head since; innovation. The point is this record was innovative in every facet; songwriting, effects, production and packaging, and I can think of no record that has equalled its impact since its release eleven years ago. Covering an unheard of range of styles, the Beatles brought contemporary music (possibly for the last time) to the man in the street where it was lapped up. Since then, what with bluesbooms and hippies, rock music mushroomed in all directions. This directionlessness is all too obvious in the Pepper revival. The Frampton, Bee Gees Peppers Hollywoodepic has been neatly timed by mogul, Stigwood, to coincide with a teen generation that would have little.or no recollection of the original. It won’t work. Multi-layered packaging and lush radio campaigns are usually a good sign that someone has something weak to sell. My bet is, if you have a copy of the original you won’t be interested in the imitation. If you don’t know the original, then you are nobody. Simple as that. Richard Geard Boston Don’t Look Back Epic Here it is, the crucial follow-up. In 76 Boston made history’s; biggest, ever recording debut when “More Than A Feeling” took their album to eventual sales of over 7 million. (It made gold before they’d played their first gig.) The mastermind responsible was Tom Scholz, an electrical engineer who produced, arranged, wrote most of the songs, and played guitar and keyboards. He still does— so ensuring a sustained identity of sound onto the new album. There have been some modifications however. Don't Look Back, while certainly remaining hard rock, seems less heavy-metal oriented than its predecessor. The guitars have a clearer ring and the songs are generally brighter, though still basically serving as vehicles for Scholz’s sound. ' That meticulously constructed sound. The record sleeve may boast "No Synthesizers Used, No Computers Used" but the production is far from simple. As many as ten guitars will be overlayed on one part and singer Brad Delp often sounds like a small choir. Is Scholz really creating better music through science or just simulating inspiration through calculation? The latter conclusion is tempting, yet for all the jibes about them being a bionic

band, Boston continue to purvey solid, unpretentious rock. Judgement suspended. Peter Thomson Neil Young Comes A Time Reprise If you read the preview of this album a few issues back, you might remember some of the to-ing and fro-ing that went into its production. Those of you who missed out will just have to take my word for it if I say Comes A Time had one of the most difficult and drawn-out births of any album this year.

Now that it's here, there isn’t all that much to say. More than all but a few of his contemporaries, Young doesn’t need reviews to get through to his audience, and I guess.that by the time you read this, most true Neil Young believers will have gone out and found out for themselves. For the beginners, then, we could say that this is the most ‘likeable’ Young album since Harvest-, that it contains “Human Highway”, the title track of the still-born third CSN&Y album; that it features the lan and Sylvia smash, “Four Strong Winds”; that it uses a guitar and violin ’orchestra’.

We could also point out that Neil is in fine voice— although I suspect this claim might come too late for that faction of the uninitiated who lump Young and his fellow king of the first take Bob Dylan, into the non-singer category The ease with which he maintains duets with Nicolette Larson on the vast majority of the numbers here is plenty of evidence to give the lie to such philestines. What more can I say? Comes A Time is the latest Neil Young album and that’s probably as much as anybody needs to know. Francis Stark

Dragon O Zambezi Portrait In Australia where they live. Dragon are in a league with probably only Sherbet and the LRB. In New Zealand, where they come from, they have made a few top twenty incursions but have no real following because they haven’t played live to speak of for the last three years. In America, where they are headed, they are complete ciphers. O Zambezi is to be combined with some of Running Free, their previous outing as their first serious attempt to break it in the States, and I can’t see how it can possibly miss. Given shrewd editing, which would remove the likes of “Burn Down the Bridges” and "Reach the Top”, this is more than half an album of the kind of streamlined popaboogie which is cornering airplay for “Are You Old Enough”. It’s a rare example of an antipodean band going away and being on time for the party. Admittedly, as it stands, O Zambezi is rather less attractive. Those fillers which will presumably be replaced by the best of Running Free for the Americans, are still sitting there getting in the way of this record reaching the standard of Sunshine, their first Australian outing— from the days before Oz was a shoe-in for them. Perhaps their first genuine American record will benefit from the same pressures which formed Sunshine. Francis Stark Dave Edmunds Dave Edmunds, Rocker Parlophone Everything you always wanted to know about Dave Edmunds (but were unable to find in your record store). This double album represents a welcome perspective on the earlier works of the Welsh axeman hero. The period covered is 1968 to 1972 and the material includes singles and album fodder from Edmunds’ Love Sculpture and Rockpile years. Most of the material has been long unavailable; some has never been available in New Zealand. The Love Sculpture period is the most diverse. It ranges from British blues (Freddie King, Slim Harpo, Howling Wolf,- Ray Charles) to Edmunds’ swifter-than-thou guitar re-treads of popular classics (notably the harrowing “Sabre Dance”, which first brought him to public notice). The Rockpile material is strictly rock ’n’ roll (Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Neil Young’s high stepping “Dance Dance Dance" and Dylan’s

hilarious "Outlaw Blues”). Included are the 1970 hit, “I Hear You Knocking,” and Edmunds’ licketysplit workout on Berry’s “Promised Land.” Edmunds’ celebrated studio skills are most apparent on the Rockpile material where he is able to summon up the sound (and, at his best, the essence of a previous time). But more than being a technician of uncanny skill, Edmunds is mostly a huge amount of fun. Ken Williams Linda Ronstadt Living in the USA Asylum I think that the mark of the really great rock artist is that every new release comes as a surprise to his audience and that he fights the temptation to fall into a well-worn groove and give the public what they seem to want. The strengths of Bowie, Reed and Cooder in this respect are obvious. And now Linda Ronstadt provides a follow-up to her Simple Dreams album which really sits back a little and capitalises on the audience she gained with her last offering. A cover of Chuck Berry’s “Back in the U S A.” makes up for the Buddy Holly cover on Simple Dreams “When I grow too old to dream” and “Love me tender” balance “Old Paint” and "I never will marry”, whilst there are obligatory songs by Warren Zevon (“Mohammed’s Radio”), Eric Kaz (“Blowing Away”) and J.D. Souther (“White Rhythm and Blues"). The most interesting offering is Ronstadt’s version of Elvis Costello’s “Alison” which turns a rather edgy new wave ballad into the ultimate in laid-back Californian good time music, pedal steel, alto sax and all. I think this is an album that is going to please fans of La Ronstadt, but it really does lack edge somehow and there seems to be a lot of potential that isn’t really being tapped at all. William Dart Horslips Aliens DJM Horslips have just recently extended beyond their Dublin based nucleus label, Oats, with the release of their last album The Celtic Symphony and now Aliens on DJM. On their own label they released three folk-rock classics almost unsurpassed in that genre— Happy to Meet, Sorry to Part, The Tain and the more traditional Drive the Cold Winter Away. The Celtic Symphony, their attempt at a big commercial breakout, was a beautifully balanced album combining Celtic refrains and rock macho. Unfortunately Aliens is more rock

oriented harking back to their fourth album Unfortunate Cup of Tea, but there still exists the plaintive Irish moods that have characterised their best songs. The album tells the story of Irish emigration to America because of the Famine Years of 1840's and the general struggle of finding acceptance and success in a new land. The sorrowful “Ghosts" sensitively evokes the loneliness and alienation that can result from trying to make a new start in a strange country. “Sure the Boy Was Green” and “Second Avenue” owe more to Jethro Tull than they'd care to admit, especially Jim Lockhart’s flute patterns, but the songs have enough bite to succeed in the context of the album. On the closing track "A Lifetime to Pay" Johnny Fean uses slide guitar to drive home the message that the "aliens" have attained the American Dream. I would have preferred a more Celtic album, but Aliens is nevertheless a successful concept relayed by some good songs. If you want their best, buy The Tain soon to be re-released. George Kay 10cc Bloody Tourists Mercury Ladies an' gennelmen, please welcome another bleedin’ concept album, and a bleedin’ tired old concept at that. The bewildered Englishmen on holiday, knotted hankie on bonce, complaining about greasy food, greasy waiters and dirty bogs, has been the brunt of countless jokes by everyone from Benny Hill to Monty Python. You'd think 10cc, with their reputation of sharp, hip humour, would steer clear of something as dated as this. Bloody Tourists only serves to highlight the dilemma 10cc has been dropped into since it became scc with the loss of Lol Creme and Kevin Godley to Gizmoland. Eric Stewart and Graham Gouldman have a finely-honed ability to construct the odd catchy tune, but they lack the witty bite that Creme and Godley used to provide. Only two numbers. “Dreadlock Holiday” and “Life Line" have even a vestige of the old punch, with the occasional clever rhyming couplet, but the strain is showing. Stewart’s voice is still a definite plus, and "For You And I” is one of his better attempts at an offbeat love song. But from there, it’s all downhill, with some numbers sounding half-finished, melody-wise, and others, like “Any Anonymous Alcoholic”, turning into rather tedious monologues, with the music tacked on as an afterthought. There have been rumours that the old 10cc may reform, and let us hope so. for the only thing both halves are proving at present is how much they need each other. Duncan Campbell Kate Taylor CBS There are evidently strong ties within the Taylor family. Not only does Kate stare benignly from her record cover with striking high cheek-boned, lank-haired resemblance to brother James Taylor, but Kate’s brothers

James and Alex are roped in to help with guitars and vocals on Kate Taylor. I suppose the similarities with James Taylor's well established acoustic, meandering style are therefore inevitable. What does surprise me is that Kate manages it all rather more convincingly than her more famous relative. The first point in her favour is that she is a stronger vocalist than James. On Ike Turner’s “A Fool in Love" she nearly proves she can sing the blues. On ‘Tiah’s Cove” written by one Charlie Witham, she demonstrates an ability to carry a sentimental ballad without becoming either maudlin or precious. Secondly, Kate has attracted, purchased or otherwise acquired a number of highly respectable studio experts. On Smokey Robinson's "It’s growing” she uses Richard Tee on piano, Cornell Dupree on guitar, Mike Brecker on flute and Arif Mardin for string arrangement. If you have a constitutional objection to the Taylor clan this is a disc to assiduously ignore. However if you have a taste for rock’s equivalent of the Waltons by all means investigate Kate Taylor.

Bruce Belsham