Rock-a-Rama

ROCK A RAMA

WILLIAM BURROUGHS - Call Me Burroughs (ESP-Disk):: Betcha didn't know this existed. Well it's still cataloged and it's a true skullblitzer. Willie B. overcomes the dullard shortcomings of most spoken word albums by the sheer molasses-thick force of his totally unique and charismatic vibe as manifested in a voice that alternately buzzes like berserk Cairo auction, squawks like broken crystal set 1923, wheedles like an old junky with runny nosey smirks like backstage queen in the withered duckings of age, transmits metallic robotski insect blips from outer space: "Uranian Willy the Heavy Metal Kid. He wised up the marks.., Word falling. Photo falling. Breakthru in grey room. TOWERS OPEN FIRE!"" Where so much of it came from, with a sound like John Coltrane locked in a foghorn on Saturn.

THE FREAK SCENE - Psychedelic Psoul (Columbia):; Most outright exploi-schlock artifact from the golden age of mind-smooz. Big retina on front, quotes from Lenny Bruce insteada personnel onna back. Every song a lectric guitar raga recorded at 16 and played - when yr lucky - at 78. Great lyrics too: "Mindbender car fender remember September pretender, assbender skinlender juice blender ' distender no gender now hinder cpde sender depender Mike Pindar tit tender..History in the quaking.1

SAM THE SHAM & THE PHAROAHS - The Sam the Sham Review or Nefertiti (same album) (MGM):: All of Sam the Sham's albums were totally idiotic, but this one was a" real breakthru just for two cosmicer-thankozmoidal numbers:. "The Cockfight," a Mexicali tale of wounded love fighting hard for social parity with the master breed, and "Let It Eat," a real Southwest anthem w. prominent unforgettable lines: "I know a little girl whose name is Mona She don" know nothin' II she ain* never gonna Let if eat." Bottom line, and byootiful For it.

ELLIOTT MURPHY - Aquashow (Polydor):: Totally recommended for "new (middleperiod) Dylan" fans. In fact, this is the only guy who really connects UP since the first Mott. In fact, even if there had never been a Dylan this would be a par fungo acne album.

AUGIE MEYER - You Ain't Rollin" Your Roll Rite (Paramount):: Augie had a perfectly awful album out on Polydor a few seasons back. This is a nice item, more than else like the Link Wray stuff, but recalling Sir Doug by attitude. More organ next time, Augie.

SANTANA - Welcome (Columbia):: Ignore the sanctimonies of the pastylipped apologists who'll insist that this is street music for the new urban badass. When it really obviously to any clcarskullcd citizen is sheer muzak pure & nodoubt simple. Leon Thomas" presence only underscores that fact by confirming the overdue closetsweeping of all his long latent tendencies (did Pharoah Sanders need yodels?), altho Carlos is playing damn fine in spite of ail McLaughlin cosmic smiles. His band always sounded in their tenderer moments like they were filing their chops for a Battle pf The with Arthur Lyman, but that's okay too because they've finally met the shade of Free Jazz As Cosmic Lull head-on in a Jergens puddle heaven-crafted for the boutique in the basement at Macy's. "Samba De Sausalito" youbet. They was mucho mightier as plain drugged-up switchblade-mean taco benders off any paco's block. And a damn' sight more authentic too. I forgot to mention that Alice Coltrane is even more of a joke than they arc. Still, it's all very PLEASANT.

MIKE OLDFIELD - Tubular Bells (Virgin):: Don't let "em fool you, folks. This has but nothing to do with the marriage of rock with anything. But you gotta know that it's super healthy muzak when you scope the actual bones of J.L. Seagull on the back cover. And if you can hold it just a little while into side 2 you will achieve a properly Orchestrated 1973 animal fuck orgasm. Eat your tarts out mystic moodies,

LUCIFER'S FRIEND (Billingsgate):: God knows why this German group wasn't snapped up by one of the major co's, ever wilting to take the bait of any old Next Uriah Heep, and had to settle for this small, spunky, "commendable" (as Huntington Hartford would say) Chicago indfee. Anyway, it's all blessings to Billingsgate, who also offer such Euro-obscuros as NFU Lucifer's Friend is, miracle of rareties, a Nordo-European group who are actually listenable, in fact they're not hard to comprehend at all, in fact they sound tike the very best of Black Sabbath and especially Deep Purple woodshedded and mastered and tore up and down couldn't hit it sideways to the point of white lighthood. In other words if you still crave those bands" kinda mouiten mocha you better glom onta this pronto, because it's better than great. We also hear one of the usual Bigboy record cumps has already bought it lockstock from Billingsgate, which'll only go to help them along their avant-thanksever path and make this high-preem screemsteem album that much easier for you to find;

MELBA MONTGOMERY - Melba Montgomery (Elektra):: Elektra's first entry in the C&W sweepstakes is a veteran trouper, but she sorely needs good material to complement her unusual alto voice. Better cover'd help, too. Betcha this flops. Too bad.. JIMMY CLIFF - Wonderful World, Beautiful People (A&M):: This is merely to, punch up the references you've seen in the reviews of Unlimited, For those who have eqjoyed Harder They Come beyond simple appreciation, this is a must, the second best Harder They Come available in U.S. of A. manufacture. Joy perfected.

NEIL DIAMOND — Jonathan Livingston Seagull (Columbia):: If Columbia knew this one was coming out when they picked up Neil as a bonus baby, then they're more than just lucky. Would you pay $1,000,(300 for this? Sure you would. But would you pay five bucks? Significance, man. The world's dumbest ■ significance book yields honk: an even dumber significance record. Barbara's my idea of a seagull, and she's significant too (Barbara, call me at CREEM; an urgently important mystic message awaits you. This is no joke.) Well, I don't wanna be weaned either, but meanwhile, Neil Diamond fans: Fu You. You.

THE WAILERS - Burnin" (Island):: WeU, at this point in time some (few) folks are doin" that Reg, and many'others aren't. This album's a leap above the first. Look, let yourself listen, to Side 1 three times in a row and you'll be hooked on spiritual stuff that makes J.L. Seagull seem like the bird by comparison. Hear the Waiters confess ("I shot the sheriff"), but in true 1973 fasion, cop the plea ("but 1 didn't shoot-no deputy").

MICHAEL NESMITH - Pretty Much Your Standard Ranch Stash (RCA):: Except for Christine McVie's stuff with Fleetwood Mac, Mike does the Jove songs of actuality, with a cover and first side,that won't stop for any limiting adjectives.

DAVID BOWIE - Pin Ups (RCA):: I didn't notice this on Hunky Dory, but Bowie makes tittle circles instead of dots over his i\ which is one sure tip-off to a wimp. 04 What? - Ed ) Another one is making albums that defuse mid-60s English invasion classics like "Can't Explain." The cleverest production gimmick here is making "Friday On My Mind" sound tike it's being played at 40 RPM.

Moustasche WA1NWR1GHT (Columbia):: This HI is - a Attempted real disap-

pointment. After preparing to chart new regions of flok-rock with Album HI, Loudon's returned to the sparse, plodding sound of his folkie days. Side two is unlistenable and even the best cuts are just one-gag songs, so there's ho reason this one should hold your attention any longer than the new Cheech & Chong album. Bob Johnsonfs off-the-wall production is not clever.

DAVIS OSSMAN - How Time Flys (Columbia):: By the time this is printed Kahoutoot oughtta be givin" you somethin" to think about. What happens here is that Firesign Theta gives you the logical extension of the current political progression in a mode equal to the best of their spiff. Where were you when, the Black hole...? Get it, smell it, suck it, hear it.Superb.

AVERAGE WHITE BAND - Show Your Hand (MCA):: If Brinsley Schwartz did R&B, this is what they'd sound like. It's more quite than quiet. From one who has listened lots, a recommended item.