Yes and Buggies

Press, 25 September 1980, Page 14

Yes and Buggies

REVIEWS

By

Nevin Topp

YES “Drama” (SD 16019) Certainly in recent months there has been drama about the personnel of Yes — the departure of Rick Wakeman and Jon Anderson, and the addition of Trevor Hom and Geoff Downes from Buggies (of “Video Killed the Radio Star” fame).

Like Led Zeppelin, Yes have a long rock history, laying the basis for their fame on albums like “The Yes Album” and “Fragile,” before teetering at the end of “Tormato,” last year as a desperate art-rock group looking for music. The injection of new people should have guaranteed some changes of direction, but on “Drama” these are not in evidence. In spite of playing to packed houses' on an American tour, the new Yes have failed to show a new direction.

“Drama” is technically perfect. Hie sound is excellent and full, but unlike the early albums mentioned before, the lyrics begin to pale, and Trevor Hom is no Jon Anderson when it . comes to vocals. He is forced to take on too much in “Run Through the Light,” and the lyrics themselves seem to be the repeat of past albums. They don’t fulfil any new function or direction.

This even applies to the album itself. It is packaged in a Roger Dean cover, recognisable Yes product Yes fans will not feel lost "with “Drama.” There are fast time changes, solos, sudden gaps, and repetition, but without the necessary creative feeling that the early Yes had.

CARLY SIMON "Come Upstairs” (Warner Bros BSK 3443). Undoubtedly Carly Simon has a fine, cool voice, and the initial reaction to '‘Come Upstairs” was that the music, too, was polished. However, a closer inspection . shows a certain lack of depth from both the words by her, and the music by her and the producer, Mike Mainieri. “Them” is an embarrassment, a song about men, and both "Jesse” and "James” (Taylor) are weak ballads. The opening tracks, "Come Upstairs” and “Stardust,” show the promise of the album, fine backing, and Simon in full throat, but in the end her efforts compare her with Linda Ronstadt’s last effort, "Mad Love.” JACKSON BROWNE

“Hold Out” (Ayslum SE--511) The recent television special of a Jackson Browne concert did little to make him attractive to the. public, but on “Hold Out” he continues to show his true worth. The new album is stronger, lyrically, vocally, and musically, than before, and Browne is .no longer running on empty. “Hold Out” shows that Browne’s personal circumstances have changed, although like Neil Young’s songs it is not immediately obvious. Before, his music and his young son, Eathan, were important to him, but now. an Austrawoman, Lynne. Sweeney, has entered his life (actually they first met during his tour of Australia in 1977), and the album is dedicated to her.

The title song, "Hold Out,” shows Browne unwilling to make a personal commitment, but on the last track of the record, “Hold Out, Hold On,” he has decided to make that commitment. In his own life he has decided to marry Lynne. "Hold Out” is superb for other reasons also. "That Girl Could Sing.” has a good uptempo swing about it, as has “Boulevard.” “Of Missing Persons,” is dedicated to Inara, , the daughter of Lowell George, the guitar-) ist from Little Feat who died last year.

Browne is quite happy to approach disco on “Disco Apocalypse,” a song he first started writing in 1976. However, it is not strickly a disco song because it is too cluttered musically and lyrically.

Jackson Browne is meant to be embarking on a world tour in November, and New Zealand is on the itinerary, although it looks as though only Auckland will hear his voice. KISS “Unmasked” (Casablanca 6302 302).

Kiss continue to unwind from the heavy-metal glitter rock of the earlier period on their latest offering, “Unmasked.” Again using Vini Poncia, Melissa Manchester’s producer, who masterminded “Dynasty,” with the Kiss hit, “I Was Made For Loving You,” the group continue to move into the album-oriented market. The hit on this album is undoubtedly “Shandri,” which has been released as a single. Poncia could not have done better than

hire the Eagles. The same high vocals, and backing chorus, it’s a middle-of-the-road hit that shows Kiss have put the heavy metal “Love Gun” and “Alive” far behind them.

The remaining songs on the album are tame and bland, inoffensive pop, with high harmonies, quiet lead guitars, and vocal emphasis from Paul Stanley.

“Unmasked,” is perhaps an ironic title. Was Kiss a pop glitter band disguised as heavy metal?

COMMODORES “Heroes” (Motown STML 6199).

The Commodores, the all-black group from Tuskegee, Alabama, were among .the first new black groups to hit the top, par« ticularly for their combination of sentimental ballads and funky uptempo material. For all that, the group have changed direction on “Heroes,” with a new folk-rock quality. Funk is represented by "Got To Be Together,” but the title track, “Heroes,” has a new intimate quality about it.

The changes are even more startling on the final two tracks. “Mighty Spirit” and “Jesus Is Love,” which goes back to the black gospel tradition, the basis of rhythm and blues. A good offering, and it will be interesting to see whether the Commodores can improve again.