records

Rip It Up, Issue 9, 1 March 1978, Page 12

records

such, faces that market’s buyer resistance. - Rock listeners will embrace the odd novelty country number Hook, Commander Cody, etc) or the occasional ballad (herself, Maureen McGovern, et al) but not sustained exposure. Even the lextra ordinary] Dolly Parton r experiences this problem. Secondly there is the problem] faced by all singers who are Tiot also strong songwriters, namely the finding of good material. If Linda Ronstadt is forced to scuffle for songs, retreading wornouts and accepting filler, then how are ladies with far less sales appeal going to make out? Fortunately Ms Harris has a couple of friends who write well. Her rhythm guitarist i Rodney Crowell contributes two numbers here. His rocking “I Ain’t Living Long Like This” is a standout. Susanna Clark’s “Easy From Now On" is probably the strongest! I song on the album so I suppose it's only fair that she should be allowed to illustrate the cover. (The album title is also her line but she can’t paint as well as she writes.) On the Jesse Winchester compositions Harris further demonstrates her interpretive ability. Winchester’s wistful, almost languid pieces gain strength from her plaintive performances. There is also a fine duet with Willie Nelson on "One Paper Kid”, highlighted by the spare accompaniment of harmonica and acoustic guitar. The backing throughout is, as previously by her own Hot Band. They are aptly named with veteran guitarist Albert Lee, in particu-

lar having many fine moments

All in all, however, I can’t see this album radically altering Harris’ popular status. It’s a pity, because, although her appeal may not be as immediate as, say, Ronstadt’s, her voice is as pure'and her emotional sense seems more finely honed. (And for those who count such things, she is also stunningly good looking.) Harris continues to work at what she does best, refusing to sell out on the chance of ephemeral chart success. In the end it must be the only way but as the lady sings: "Been doin’ all I can but opportunity sure comes slow.”

XTC White Music

Virgin Any relatively new English group with short hair and such a snappy name is bound to come in for a pretty critical reception these days. Especially one with a keyboards player. But XTC fare well by most comparisons. Organ and piano don’t lend themselves to quite the same identikit buzzsaw effects as guitar does, but most new groups use them for similar rhythmic effects. XTC excell in that the other musicians match this with a beatiness almost to the point of making it funky. The rhythm section is terse and tight enough to tell of the years it’s been together. Andy Partridge guitar and Barry Andrews keyboards, match up well in their mutual quirkiness. The beats they play are clear, choppy and more than a little unpredictable. It’s good to hear an English group that’s willing to play with a bang and a squeal rather than a thud. The songs range from breath-catchingly clever to bouncy pop. The care that’s shown for their structure and texture is relentless. It’s a record that’ll stand repeated listening, although I have it on good authority they’re far superior live to their performance on this record. Don’t call it art, don’t .call it new wave until you've heard it so often that the terms don’t matter any more. But do listen to it. It’s got "All Along The Watchtower”, and falsetto harmonies on it, so it can’t be too bad at all. Grant Dillon

Stephen Bishop Careless ABC Records

A record like Stephen Bishop’s Careless always poses difficulties for a reviewer. What does one say about music that is so patently inoffensive, so well played by studio musicians who include Victor Feldman, Eric Clapton, Andrew Gold, Jim Gordon, so immaculately produced, so infused with good taste, and yet still somehow missing out on big league status. Stephen Bishop is a young man whose overwhelming influence appears to be Paul Simon. The tinking electric pianos, the clean acoustic guitar sound, the understated backing vocals, Bishop’s own voice are all reminiscent of Simon’s magnificent Still Crazy After All These Years.. Perhaps Bishop’s difficulty is that he chooses such a demanding model. Simon’s is a delicate art constructed from impeccable musicianship, a real lyric gift and memorable melodic construction. It is not that Bishop lacks these talents. He sings extremely well, probably with more flexibility than Paul Simon, he pens good tunes (“On and On" presently doing well as a single is really excellent), and his words are middling to good.

But Stephen Bishop is not Paul Simon and in the end falls short, if only marginally, on every count. That of course takes its toll, particularly on the issue of originality. Potentially a fine talent Bishop founders in a professionalism that tends to be imitative. It’s very nice to have famous names on your record, it's very nice to set high standards, but because it doesn’t define its own style this album remains a pleasant something to tide one over to the next Paul Simon original.

Bruce Belsham

Earth, Wind & Fire

All n All CBS

I’m going to stick my neck out and propose a theory: that, on the evidence of this album, Earth Wind & Fire are becoming increasingly dissatisfied with their restricted role as disco darlings, despite their popular success, and that they are seeking to de-. velop their potential in fresh, less commercially safe, d rectionsßpiMßß|||P^j The j track's jon All 'n All may be broadly [ c si dere d in three I sections: the uptempo, dance-oriented numbers, three slower romantic songs, and a couple of very brief 'interludes'. . The five fast numbers . contain the heart of the album. Yet of these, the hit "Serpentine RireVj is the I most obvious in conception i and the least musically exciting. The song is, I suppose, necessarily straightforward, written within the limitations of the disco formula. However, although the other i four up-tempo tracks depart from these limitations as they develop subtleties and complexities, they nonetheless retain the essential visceral appeal of good dance music. This development culminates in the superb 'Runnin'” which, not only has thoroughly sophisticated rhythm section work, tempo changes, and two classy horn solos, but contains an oblique mocking of their hit single. Half-way through “Runnin’ ” the music winds down and we hear ‘‘Serpentine Fire" coming from a tinny, pocket-radio type speaker. One of the musicians calls "I wanna get down. We gotta take it on up," and so the band resumes "Runnin’s” pulsating instrumental. This self-criticism is not, perhaps, as [overt as ]I 1 have made it l out ,to be. “Serpentine Fire’’ is still side 1 track 1, while ‘‘Runnin’ ” is buried in the middle of side 2. The group (or the record company), do realise where the money comes from. Both fast and slower numbers are well written, although the sound-picture 'interludes’ soon pall. Mercifully they are brief. One of the great strengths of this album is the musicianship. It is excellent throughout: disciplined, tight and driving. The horn-work is especially noteworthy; the arrangements are imaginative and the performance pu nc And this applies equally to the slower tracks. (Try the kickass brass and rhythm sections on “Be Ever Wonderful”.)

A word about the cover: Only the first shipment of the album receives the original double cover. If you intend purchasing the record be in fast because the full cover painting, which obviously won’t open out on a single cover, is worth having. It’s an idealised secret-power-of-pyramids-in-days-of-future-past sci-fi thing. Good fun. Unfortunately, however, the inner sleeve (in both cases) contains a lyric sheet. Aurally, the lyrics can easily be ignored; read, their complex niceties prove to be meaningless verbiage and rhyme-for-fun.

But it s a minor cnticism. All in all AH n All is a welcome surprise. An American critic once labelled Earth Wind & Fire as black middle-of-the-road, as purveyors of assembly-line music. On this album they show a potential and desire for much more. If you like the single you're probably going to investigate this album anyway. Even if you dislike "Serpentine Fire" there’s a lot more which may appeal. It’s worth checking out.

Peter Thomson