Records

Rip It Up, Issue 91, 1 February 1985, Page 24

Records

The Stranglers Aurall Sculptured CBSM K This i album' leaves }me] with a somewhat mixed response. I thoroughly enjoyed the first side, but side two, with the exception of the humorous ‘Uptown - , was depressingly dull. Perhaps it was just' a matter of expecting too much after the power of side one. But the albums opening track goes a long way towards excusing side two's doubtfulness. It’s all about a man who “knew the Ice Queen" and played cards with her typical of , the seductive vocal thrills the . Stranglers really are capable of. ‘Let Me Down Easy' is another fine track. The harmonies and almost Doors-like keyboards bring back memories of classics like Golden Brown' off the La Folie album. The single 'Skin Deep' is not quite as stirring but it definitely possesses a certain catchiness hence its heavy plugging on commercial radio. The problem with side two of Aural Sculpture is perhaps not one that couldn't be overcome with a bit more listening (and a lot more patience)... but that doesn't mean that the Stranglers are not welcome back in my record collection, 'cause they are. Vicky Bogle

The Waterboys A Pagan Place Island If, like me, you've regarded the bulk of recent UK releases with disdain, the Waterboys' first local release may go some way towards restoring confidence. The Waterboys slot into the epic run of bands like U2, Big Country, Echo, and Simple Minds. This is heroic music, big, but lacking the bluster of U2 or Boy's Own sentiments of Big ; Country. Vkhow, sweeping stuff that makes you want to punch air at the peaks. Research reveals the mind behind the music is Mike Scott, a Scot with a passion for for sound. The Waterboys are not his first

band and A Pagan Place is] not their, first album, The 1983 debut The Waterboys was ’ the testing ground for the celebration available now. ', . g| t *»: jSSSSB

SSScott has a fine dynamic sense. His songs build and soar, awash with sound Waves of r horns, keyboards and strings crash across grand, resonant rhythms and {brittle’! guitar melodies. His vocals stop just . short of histrionics, sweeping from a murmur to a full-throated roar.-'

There’s] the familiar 'The . Big Music', the Waterboys' signature tune. ,'Church; Not: Made With] Hands’ is goddess worship, about' flawless inaccessible modern Mona Lisas. Across time and space is Red Army Blues', a saga chronicling Stalin's dishonesty, a cause' gone wrong And it was all because of fraternising with a boy from Hazzard. Tennessee (wry humour). 1 But the title track is the standout, 1 majestic and sweeping A Pagan Place is the clearing house for two years' creation. 1 ; It. marks the arrival of a new talent• Well hear more of Scott but for now this is a winning introduction. David Taylor T-Bone Walker T-Bone Blues Atlantic Aaron Thibeaux T-Bone" Walker was born in Linden, Texas, on May 28, 1910. He died in Los Angeles in March 1975. In between times he made some marvellous music. One of the very first electric guitarists, his innovative style influenced innumerable blues, rock and jazz performers, principally the school of post-war guitar playing most associated with 88. King ' but % including Lowell|.Fulson; Johnny “Guitar” Watson, , Albert Collins, Eric Clapton, Michael

Bloomfield ... you get the picture; This album is one of T-Bone’s most influential. It was recorded in the late 1950 s for t the Erteguns’ Atlantic Ibale arid features T-Bone in fine form, both vocally and instrumentally.'His loping rhythms, succinct picking and I dry vocals are J among I the ; most \ charming sounds] in ■ blues (or jazz;] in >T; Bone's hands the differences' are academic). ’; ',]] ' Sidemen jj include . tenor saxophonist Plas 'Johnson] ace New Orleans drummer Earl Palmer and; especially, the brilliant Texas pianist Lloyd Glenn, whose tasteful accompaniments have enhanced the performances of, among others. Lowell Fulson and B B King, but who himself has been rather overlooked

Why Walker never achieved the “star” status his influence and abilities might have accorded him remains a matter, of t conjecture. Perhaps it was his age, more probably a matter of , temperament. Regardless, whenever somebody plays a bluesy electric guitar lick there's bound to be a breath of TBone there. If you don't know his stuff already, start right here. Ken Williams . . ... - ...... ' -* ' Big Country Steeltown Mercury Big Country's excellent .’debut album. The Crossing, blended in-] cisive guitar and strong lyrics, with • traditional music as the launching . pad On 'Fields Of Fire]they made ■ traditional music seem contemporary and Chance' illustrated that Stuart Adamson was no slug in the songwriting department. Steeltown continues the same approach, but the sombre nature of the lyrics makes it less accessible than Crossing. Added to this is

the extremely murky production from Steve Lillywhite. Or is it the production? On first hearing I was - driven to purchase a new stylus but; no improvement [was discernable.] examples : of the pressing have made revealed no difference this \ is I the most; muffled sound] quality since* Graham Parker's [Squeezing Out Sparks Whatever the cause, the result is to severely detract from music of a very high quality,— with the title track, ‘Come Back To Me' and Flame Of the West’ being the highlights. Highly recommended but no points for clarity. David Perkins ....... , - Southside Johnny and the Jukes In The Heat Polydor SH Southside Johnny emerged from ; the Asbury Park scene l in 1976 with / Don't Want To Go Home, an R&B celebration. Since then he’s released a string of consistent albums but has never caught \ the public i imagination? That’s too bad because Hearts Of Stone (1978) was classic hornbased rock n’ roll and Reach' Up and Touch the Sky (1981) documented the Jukes’ highenergy live show. Trash It Up (1983) saw the South with Nile Rodgers’ assistance successfully tackle funk. .;. The songs on In The Heat, love songs, deal with hard times. Titles j’ like 'Love Goes To War' and Tell Me Lies’ tell the story. Horns, guitars and synthesisers add the feeling. It’s pure American pop orrthe -and-echo New Romeo' and funk for ‘I Cant Live Without Love’. Smokey Robinson’s 'Don’t Look Back' (covered ; in recent years by Peter Tosh) gets soulful

treatment 4 with ; horns rumbling and tooting And Tom Waits’ 'New Coat Of Paint is finest bar-room blues. The link is the' South’s voice, raw and emotive. ’.- '

Although Southside Johnny could benefit from a more inspired . songwriting collaborator than Billy Rush, In The Heat is a solid, successful release It's rock 'n' roll for the wee smalls, avoiding prairiescale canvasses in favour of more intimate moments. That scale and a working man's, approach lend Southside status beyond sales. . Hey my man, stay on the job. David Taylor . ' ‘ ' SBPPWBHMHRBI Linda Ronstadt Lush Life Asylum It's pretty much in the nature of sequels to be inferior. The pleasant news here is that Lush Life generally improves upon last year's surprisingly popular What's New. The songs are similar vintage —1920 s to the 50s and the orchestrations are again by period maestro Nelson Riddle Yet this time the singer herself seems more at ease. On What's New Ronstadt's reverence for the material came closer to embalming than interpreting. This time out, while obviously still in awe, she is willing to relax with the tempos, even swing a little. For sure, none of the versions here is likely to be deemed ] definitive, not j considering j their classic heritage (Ella, Sarah, et al).. Also, Ronstadt can still get strident when she pushes her volume. Nonetheless . these remain very beautiful songs and all are lovingly performed. And the fact that there are very few other versions currently available makes Lush Life a welcome release.

Peter Thomson