Over the rainbow

Press, 14 May 1981, Page 14

Over the rainbow

RAINBOW “Difficult to Cure" (Polydor). Another .line-up change, and Rainbow produce another album after 18 months. Ritchie Black;more and Roger Glover, former key men with the heavy metal band, Deep Purple, dream up another exciting album for -the buver.

< The heavy-metal Rainboware now doing big things in '.the United States, and the ■ choice of album tracks re--1 fleets this. The opening song “I Surrender,” is a bouncy number aimed for the swinging singles market, written by Russ Ballard. Glover and Blackmore have been slagged for this, mainly because they are good writers ■in their own right. “All Night Long" attests to this. “Spotlight Lid" shows up the new vocalist's talents, plus that of the newly • recruited drummer. Bobby’ Rondinelli, while Blackmore shows on guitar.why he and the band. are hot in the United States. ■ , “Magic” is an example of

this Uncle Sam tendency, a hard. Ted Nugetn rocker, but Rainbow can change the pace as “Maybe Next Time" shows, with Blackmore dominating the slow instrumental on guitar.

“Can't Happen Here" shows what Joe Lyn Turner's vocals are made of, and “Midtown Tunnel Vision” is a bluesy number, in the Zeppe-lin-Hendrix tradition.

Some may be upset by the last track, another instrumental, based.on Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. It shows off Blackmore’s guitar style, but the old maestro would be turning jn his grave.

“Difficult to Cure” is definitely accessible heavy metal, but there is a feeling that Rainbow could at any moment slip into something a bit like — dare I say it — Fleetwood Mac.—Nevin Topp.

THE 101ERS “Elgin Avenue Breakdown” (RTC ANDI 01). You know the. story. Joe Strummer’s band before he Clashed. Legends in their own lunchtime, etc.

Elgin Avenue, number 101, was the band's squat in the mid-seventies. They slogged around the pubs and clubs, recorded one single ("Keys To Your Heart.” on Chiswick), then faded as punk hit the scene. "I saw them before you did" appears to be the statement amongst the British music press these days, but that doesn’t apply here, so we can review the music, not the socalled legend. Simply, “Elgin Avenue Breakdown” is one hell of a rhythm and blues album. What a pity that there aren't enough studio tracks on it, because the quality of the live cuts, especially “Gloria." is very poor, almost subbootleg standard. The band, which includes ex-PiL. Raincoats, and Basement 5 drummer Richard Dudanski. would have surely steamed live, but all you can get from the Roundhouse concert songs is atmosphere. Half the 12 tracks are studio, but consider each as a equality single, and you're still getting.-value for money.

“Letsgetabitarockin" and “Motor Boys Motor" speak for themselves — the lOlers cranked up really high. “Keys" wasn't a big seller originally, but. it was rereleased about a year ago because of popular demand. Its inclusion here is very welcome, and how often have you heard keys rattle in the middle of a song? It’s the only gimmick on this album.

“Surf City” is the real winner, it might be five years old but it’s got hit potential today (one other track, “Sweet Revenge,” has been released). And for once, Strummer sings smoothlj' (say that fast). Elsewhere, his voice assumes the characteristics of an angry scrawl, which became familiar in The Clash.

Of interest amongst the covers is “Shake Your Hips," which was done by those old rebels, the Rolling Stones, in 1972. If that thing called punk had never happened (shame!), the lOlers could well have taken over from the Stones. David Swift.