BRIEFS

Rip It Up, Issue 39, 1 October 1980, Page 16

BRIEFS

Third World, Prisoner in the Street (Island) This is a soundtrack for a movie, about which I know absolutely nothing. Presumably it's just about Third World and their music. There's nothing on the sleeve to suggest anything else.

third World make smooth, sweet crossover reggae-soul, and are a very strong pick to follow in Marley’s footsteps But despite their sophistication (compared to their bredren), their righteousness is still from the roots. The title track is newly-recorded, while the rest is a collection of old favourites, recorded at last year’s London Rainbow concerts. Fine hot weather music. DC

Blue Oyster Cult, Cultosaurus Erect us (CBS) Word had it that BOC were going to revert back to the heavy metal Scientology bizarrotreatment of their first three albums for their new escapade, Cultosaurus Erectus.

They sure have, in part, returned to their origins of storms with strongarm dramas like "Black Blade" and "Lips In the Hills”, and Buck Roeser high class ballads, namely "Deadline", but overall the edge of their first three ain’t quite there.

Still this is easily their best piece of theatre since Agents of Fortune. And that means it's hot. - GK

Hot Chocolate 20 Hottest Hits, (RAK) Erroll Brown and Tony Wilson wrote some very good pop songs in the early and midseventies before Wilson departed the band "Emma", "I Believe" and "Brother Louie” most especially. As under-rated as it was marketably halfway-house, the duo's material at least earned covers from such enchanting American bands as Earthquake and Stories. The latter part of the decade, with Brown writing alone, changed pure pop into disco pop, winking occasionally at the most commercial Tamla period. A singles band in a non-singles era, Hot Chocolate will deserve worthy mention in any future overview of RAK records when Racey et al are hopefully forgotten. RC Yes, Drama, (Atlantic) At one time Yes were a potent force, intelligent and incisive. But times have changed and Yes haven't. With the departure of Jon Anderson (a cosmologist from Accrington) and Rick Wakeman the way was open for the infiltration of the Buggies, a most unlikely prospect.

Actually they fit into the Yes etherised structure without too much embarrassment. Trevor Horn sings Anderson-styled falsetto and Geoff Downes, although lacking Wakeman’s expertise, is flowery enough to get by.

But the universe remains the same as do the lengthy instrumental work-outs posing as songs. Does anything really change? Does it really matter? GK

Doobie Brothers, One Step Closer (Warner Bros) The final victory of form over content takes place in the Doobies, with Michael McDonald's voice becoming the whole show. So how anyone regards the record depends entirely on how they like McDonald. He has very little to do with rock, an awful lot to do with seamless pop music of the sort that first came from California with the Mamas and the Poppas. PH

The Joe Perry Project, Let the Music Do the Talking (CBS) Guitarist Joe Perry was the musical sinew behind Aerosmith but now he's weight-training in his own gym. Sophistication or eccentricity ain't in his training programme, he just works out on mainstream heavy rock with more style and melody than most. "Conflict of Interest”, "Rockin' Train” and his "Cold Turkey" steal, "The Mist is Rising" make the grade in a competent if patently predictable album. GK Paul Jones, Hits And Blues (EM!) The 1966 —69 post-Manfred Mann period was a fairly barren one for Jones, one of the R& B beat boom’s premier singers, and the filler on this compilation underlines that. “Sons And Lovers” and "Poor Jenny” are bewildering absentees, but "I've Been A Bad, Bad Boy", a fine song from a foul movie, is here, as are a couple of interesting sidestep experiments,

and a fistful of very moderate shots at the pop charts. Inquisitive young Blues Band fans will recognise only Sonny Boy Williamson, while those seeking to judge Jones’ place in history are best advised to play "Pretty Flamingo" off any Manfred Mann compilation. 14 times. RC UK Subs, Brand New Age, (RCA) The Subs are brilliant man, I mean their music is torn and savage and full of hate and disgust at the lousy state things are in. Another Kind of Blues showed how us punks are pissed off at the present way we’re treated and now Brand New Age sticks two bloody great fingers at our present and future. We got no future and the Subs are the only band around who tells it like it is, everybody else has sold out, bleedin’ Clash, the Pistols, the lot. All we’ve got left is the Subs. But they'll do. GK Carlos Santana, Swing of Delight (CBS) Carlos Santana’s solo albums seem to be becoming less commercial but more fulfilling than his work with Santana. This beautifullyproduced record is no exception. With players like Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter and Tony Williams the musicianship is impeccable, and if the devil still seems to have all the best words, Santana shows he may not have all the best tunes. PH The Darts, Everyone Plays Darts (Magnet) The Darts have always been my favourite revivalist-nostalgia band. Smarter than Sha Na Na, possessing ten times more suss and whatever-else-is-needed than Showaddywaddy and infinitely more enjoyable and adaptable than the whole recent, reactionary rockabilly revival, the Darts make fifties’ doo-wop, pop, rock and you-name-it sound like real fun and not just old-man nostalgia. I like Darts. GK Bob James, “H" (CBS) Jazz pianist Bob James (he does TV’s Taxi theme) is joined on his latest easily accessible album by soprano saxophonist Grover Washington Jr, Billy Joel band members and regular jazz sessionmen like trumpeter Randy Brecker. The stylish, aggressive playing sighted in the outstanding 1974 Carnegie Hall concerts with Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker is missing from James' recent albums, which are in the Benson/Klugh mould, but "H" is still a competent, enjoyable album that is too nice to offend. NH Justin Hayward, Night Flight (Decca) Ex-Moody Blue Justin Hayward was always a dab hand at writing pretty, lightweight love songs with philosophical touches. He hasn’t changed much, in fact he’s even got the same hair style. So Night Flight is more satin-lined sounds and sentiments shaped to

sweetly seduce and soothe you into simpering shallowness. Get the picture? . GK Matchbox, Set tin' the Woods on Fire (Chiswick) In 1978 Major Matchbox were just plain Matchbox with a debut album out on Chiswick, and this is it. Settin' the Woods on Fire? Hardly coz it’s largely predictable rockabilly fare but it is at least a more disarming prospect than their recent chart-toppers. Guitarist Steve' Bloomfield has managed one gem in "Put the Blame On Me" but overall this album is for those guys who wanna re-live old rockabilly days.. GK Gary Numan, Telekon (WE.A) Everybody’s favourite punching bag, Numan should really confront the typewriter boxers head on and make an album with lan Anderson.People would enjoy the reviews so much they’d probably even buy. the record. This latest Numan misses the quite reasonable radio single or, two he’s managed on previous albums, but otherwise stubbornly retreads his own piece of rather,-small and already welltrodden ground. "I Die You Die” would light up a Mi-Sex album, and "Please Push No More” is an attractive surprise on Side Two, but essentially, this is for the least-demanding sector of synthesiser machine-land. RC The Moody Blues, The Magnificent Moodies (Decca) Nothing like modesty. Another re-issue of the first pre-Haywood Moody Blues’ album with Denny Laine holding the reins. For the most part it v sounds older than its fifteen years and only "Go Now" remains spriteiy Sleeve notes oughta get a few laughs though. GK Various, Nambassa (Stetson) An odd record, without an obvious market, from the man who brought you Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. I wasn’t there so I couldn't say if this is an accurate rendition of what Nambassa 79 was like. If it is, I can’t say I’m cursing myself for staying away. A wide’ collection of local acts captured below their best (especially the almost -tuneless .Enz) and cover art and between-song raps a good ten years out of warp make this a collection for the afficionado. ' SM The Planets, Goon Hilly Down (Rialto) A new band on Pye these days is a rare event. The Planets, revolving around songwriter Steve Lindsey, excel at making anonymous, bulky pop songs often laced with reggae. It’s all been done before and now it’s being done to death. GK Willie Nelson & Ray Price, San Antonio Rose (CBS) A record company pairing, surely, with the increasingly prolific Nelson this time being joined by country veteran Price on a selection of country standards including two of Willie’s and one : of Ray’s.. Price sings confidently, holding the melodies ■ well, but he seems characterless alongside the quavering but likeable voice of . his latterly most successful label-mate. Good ..songs,'don’t always, a good album make, and this is mostly a pleasant stroll through the Nashville Hall of Fame. Mickey Raphael sensibly delays his delightful entries into the songs until it's Willie’s turn to sing. RC Brecker Brothers, Detente (Arista) , Why do good session musicians always think they can turn out an album on their own? Talented Randy (trumpet, fluelhorn) - and Michael (tenor sax, flute) Brecker are important musical props on many jazz and rock albums. Other popular session musicians like Steve Ga6d and David Spinoza lend a hand here. But the combined musical talent is wasted on a sound that has been done better elsewhere. It sounds dated. Even George Duke, who produced the album, seems to be turning his back now on funky disco.' NH Livingston Taylor, Man’s Best Friend (Epic) A couple of stabs at light R&B pop notwithstanding, this is a pretty twee record. Randy Newman’s Marie goes, through a Don McLean filter, and the best shots come from “First Time Love" and, melodically, “Out Of This' World". Nice an’ easy soft rock. You wouldn't put this on a car stereo, but you could play it if your mode of travel was being carried along in a hammock by a couple of pygmies. RC Bin tangs, Night-Fighter (Ariola) If blurbs are to be believed then these guys have been around as Dutch R&B specialists for nigh on twenty years. Be that as it may the album never climbs above early Stones' derivations and throaty Bo Diddley anguish. • R&B don’t get you instant credibility 'round heah boy. GK