ROCK-A-RAMA

KING PLEASURE - Moody's Mood For Love (United Artists):: This is part of UA's "Douglas Collection," a series of re-releases of choice sets by premier jazz people — Coltrane, Billie Holiday, et numerous al. — complete with extensive discography. Most people have had a taste of most jazz, but I doubt if you've ever heard anything like King Pleasure. He does chestnuts like "Old Black Magic" and "It Might As Well Be Spring," but with the help of the most incredible scat-singing in the history of the cosmos. And instead of riffing on gibberish syllables, he does it all with words — in the time it takes you to decide to open your mouth, this dude has ripped off two or three paragraphs, and, you can understand every word. Put plainly, the man has such mind-boggling control of his voice that it is at once voice and instrument. Hear it to believe it.

ERIC KAZ — If You're Lonely (Atlantic):: Kaz is one of the best songwriters in the country and Tracy Nelson is his best interpreter, especially on "Deliver Me," an apotheosis of country religion. But Kaz is not a singer, not yet, anyway. Why do all sessionmen have to be superstars and all songwriters singers? What's the meaning of life? Who wrote the book of love? Since you know who sang it and not who wrote it I guess that answers the questions.

JEREMY SPENCER & THE CHILDREN (Columbia):: I had always thought that Spencer was the main reason that those post—Peter Green Fleetwood Mac albums were so nice and smooth. But the group seems to be doing nicely without him, thank you, and Jeremy's got his head so full of Jesus and the LIGHT that he all but obliterates the fact that there's some really fine tunes on his new solo disc. If they'd isolated the vocals on one channel so's you could just listen to the music, I might recommend this one, but all they did was undermix "em on both channels so you can't forget "em or hear "em.

SIEGEL-SCHWALL BAND - Sleepy Hollow (Wooden Nickel):: I used to see these guys at The Cafe Au Go Go a long time ago, when they were really horrible. So stick with it, aspiring boogie-stompers, because this record proves that six or seven years do make a difference. Corky Siegel has at last developed sufficient restraint to temper his sizeable talent, Jim Schwall is still stroking licks smooth and sassy from his beat-up old acoustic-with-pickup, and the rhythm boys funkafize finely. Choice cut from this beefy slab of blues: "Sick To My Stomach," a funny item about how this guy barfs every time he thinks about some other man's hands all over his baby's soft body.

BETTE MIDLER - The Divine Miss M. (Atlantic):: I'm sure Miss Midler is gonna go a lot father than this album will take her, but it reminds me of that first NRBQ lp: all kinds of diverse styles and approaches that have yet to mesh into something coherent, personal, or new. The pointless tempo changes (pointless on record, anyway) in "Leader of the Pack" sum it up — no one seems to know what's going on here. The sound is thin and there is a distinct lack of emotion in the performance. Maybe Midler will be the first video-cassette superstar. More likely, she will majce better records.

THE EVERLY BROTHERS - Pass The 'Chicken And Listen (RCA):: Just think, if Don & Phil had been on that plane instead of Ebony Eyes, they'd be saints instead of stiffs. I'll take the chicken, someone else listen.

TRANQUILITY - Silver (Epic):: What you'd have to call a very derivative record, with floor-scraping bows to Yes, Seals & Crofts, Raspberries (no, that might be the other way around), and others. The thing of it is that they're every bit as good as, and often much better than, those they emulate. Their first is very nice, too — if you like yer Art Rock tight and tasty, get "em both.

RICK ROBERTS - Windmills (A&M):: The credits read like the Country-Rock Social Register; too bad there ain't no country-rock on the record. While Rick was with the Burritos, his soft, sweet songs were a pleasant and charming contrast to the band's generally up-beat tendency; but when you contrast pleasant-and-charming with pleasant-andcharming, all you've got is pleasant-andcharming, if ya follow me. In actual fact, there are a couple of semi-hard rockers here, but they're no more exciting than raisins in your oatmeal. If I were Boppin" Bob Christgau, I'd give it a Y, for yawn.

GEORGE GERDES — Son of Obituary (United Artists):: Better than his first (Obituary, natch ) because all the songs are really strong, and George's unfortunate propensity towards sentimentality is held in check. He's still under Loudon Wainwright's shadow, but fast emerging as one of the best singer/songwriters around. And catch him live if you can.

NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND AND OTHERS — May The Circle Be Unbroken (United Artists):: Well... A historic moment, maybe. Some mighty good picking on a lot of the cuts, definitely. But that sappy motherfucker of a harmonica player (whoever heard of bluegrass harmonica — and he's not even as good as Wayne Raney) should be permanently stifled, being as how he ruins 21 of the set's 37 tunes with his irritating squawkings. Nothing special, but definitely better than Tommy for gift-giving.

CONNIE SMITH - If It's Not Love (RCA):: Okay, so you've heard Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn. The third of country's three top female singers is Connie Smith, and on this album of songs by one of Nashville's best, Dallas Frazier, she shines brighter than she has in a while. There are a few duets with Dallas, and it beats me why the title cut never made the Top 40. Fantastic album, if