ROCK-A-RAMA

ROCK-A-RAMA

JIMI HENDRIX - At His Best (Sagapan Records) (Volume 2):: One of your more obscure postmortems boasting a classy cover. Also hands-down winner of “most pretentious liner-notes award.” Written in English and French for all you frog-rockers. Inside there’s aimless noodling from 1964. For necrophiliacs only.

THE ZOMBIES (Parrot):: Then again, the man says, why fool around at all with stuff like Raspberries, Stories, etal, when there’s still a hunk of the real (worthy) thing around that you ain’t already heard nohow.

TIDBITSGreetings From Jamaica (Family Productions):: Despite the title this is not reggae. What it is is a whiff of somethin’ you usedt’ sniffle (if you were lucky) called thfe Spoonful; lovin’ scam, and heavy on the apostrophe just like it oughtta be.

CHUNKY, NOVI AND ERNIE (Warner Bros.):: In 1973, 1972’s record company current phase (heavy on the sensitive fOUde) began the great move toward, heavy,on the classy cull riff, lottsa boring slow guitar and the such that must (somehow) be significant. We know, that in the long run, none of that crap is gonna stick tO the wall, either; But, in the meantime, here is an effort of worth that features the proper classical perspective: this stuff is funny as shit. Hence, the best in category entry yet:

RORY GALLAGHER - Tatoo (Polydor):: Album by album Rory is improving, and there is a lot of fine guitar talk/here which decries a backward glance. If he ever develops a central focus he’ll be sure nuff tough spit.

R.E.O. SPEEDWAGON - Ridin’ The Storm Out (Epic): BACHMAN TURNER OVERDRIVE II (Mercury):: If you care enough to look and listen a bit there’s a bunch of stuff that you’d hunk off in a first listen instant as (O.K. but) probably middle-level plus dribble; But, generally, that’s the realm you’re gonna be most wrong about: either one of these could become one of your favorite albums. Bachman-Tumer have effected a more than wee leap above their first Mercury release, and R.E.O. gets better .each outing; Hard, but not too hard; soft, but still a pleasure.

SPRING (U.A.):: Okay, it’s from 972, and all the ardent long ago heaped praise. But a lot of rock ricky-tic pubs (pubes?) have trad been anything but spare in their heapings. So, reiteration may be the only decent basis for the move beyond the sell to the reality: This Brian Wilson effect is the best Beach Boys album ever.

STEALERS WHEEL - Ferguslie Park (A&M):: Cheez whiz said the one to the other, hey they really liked our (sic) first effort; let’s paste it back together for another shot (I mean: what is the cover saying texcept “kiss my ass”). Leiber arid Stoller agreed (of course, what else): $$$ But it’s disjointed. No heart." Lotsa span (12 songs), but no heart. One song is so good, though, that I really like this album despite its lack of direction: theDylan Bo-honk story of the late 60s that is “Blind Faith,” with lots of appropriate quotes and a rocking musical commentary that flat hugs the line. Listen to it over and over is what I do. They ain’t many songs like that.

ISLEY BROTHERS - Greatest Hits (TNeck):: 14 examples of the Isieys’ six album stint with T-Neck Buddah, middle period Isieys in .other words. They never disappoint; they do not have a lounge mentality ; they are more like Frenchie slurp -than a passing french fry. And there are at least' 14 other reasons.

POCO - Crazy Eyes (Epic):: Poco have sure taken a lot of abuse on this album. Everybody seems to want a return to that happy licking time when they used tv hop around the stage smiling more than mostly cheerful notes. But, friends* there just ain’t nothing wrong with being DOWN; and with that as the text,to keep in mind, lemme say that this is really hot stuff, with a lot more meat than biscuits. The song “Crazy Eyes” is, at least, if not the berries; a fine banana, and I don’t like Jethro Tull; either.

THE HOT DOGS - Say What You Mean (Ardent):: Okay, Ardent Records does have an interesting line on mid-6Qs Brito ppprock. The Hot Dogs are On the good side, Beatles direction, with production even.

ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA - On The Third Day (United Artists):: Some of this stuff is so tired it sounds like a menopausal Paul McCartney. Roy Wpod again declared winner by K.O. in the battle for ex-Move supremacy.

GRAHAM CENTRAL STATION (Warner Boys):: It is probably great to be alive and away from Sly with all your intact intact Remember Sly’s groupie song that mentions Larry what’s-his-face? Well, this is a front for the selfsame Larry, and it’s almost as good as Duke Williams and the Extremes.

DEL SHANNON - Live In England (U.A.):: After yeajs of no Del Shannon at all comes this live blast from initial brito issue. Until the appearance (in fact, in a strange sense it was featured) of “Runaway’’ in American Grafitti, I had managed sorely, to ignore Del, despite references which should have put me to early shame in Who Put The Bomp. Del Shannon is magic wonderful early 60’s spiff, and if you are so lucky to find some one of his oily efforts in the 44 cents pile you’ll know.'If I were you I’d take a chance on this just So I’d know for sure.

DUKE WILLIAMS AND THE EXTREMES -A Monkey In a Silk Suit Is Still a Monkey (Capricorn):: There just ain’t no justice sometimes, and how everybody and his dog could miss Duke Williams and The Extremes is a more than momentary puzzlement. The back of the cover says it all. He.does TODAY black and strut (not to mention dance) with an actual R&B edge (and God bless Rufus Thomas) better than anybody, black or white (including War); and he does it with humor too — the way it oughtta be.

JERRY CORBETTA/SUGARLOAF — I Got a Song (Brut):: This search fqr the ultimate in Brito 60s rehash gets to be more than somewhat a drag when these guys (Brito 60s rehashers) keep a turnin’ on you (reference latest example, Stories). For the real thing in pop maneuver without pain, this is a fine shot.

LEO SAYER (Chrysalis):: Here’s the guy that put the'words in Daltry’s mouth. If you felt like there was some kind of slip between the crust, but thought the sentiments if actually felt were tough, and then this is your (brand new heartache) stuff.

T. BONE WALKER — Very Rare (Warner Bros):: Of all the stuff out of ’73 this is one pf the most weird. Here comes a totally new 'T. Bone Walker set, two records, produced by Leiber and Stoller and featuring (in part) marks like Gerry Mulligan, Zoot. Simms and Dizzy Gillespie. It is worth the continued listening that eventually gives it (more than) validity.

HANK THOMPSON - Kindly Keep It Country (Dot):: It ain’t Cody and. it $ih’t Asleep At The Wheel that consistently keeps the white light of Western Swing bright. Totally recommended, including a rerecording of his own, “A Six Pack to G?.”

JONATHAN KING - Pandora’s Box (UK Records):: J.K.’s this super weird Brito guy from the past who . is committed to the jackoff (i.e, super self lovin’ hots) side of rock ’n’ pop (including 10 CC); Bonzo honks can get off here if they can restrain themselves for the moment. Actually, Jonathan King is the Henny Youngman of Bonzo Dog Banders.

JAMES MONTGOMERY BAND - First Time Out' (Capricorn):: If Capricorn just had Lyn Skyn they’d have the full measure of this particular honk. James Montgomery Band went into the studio and took their time, and if it’s a wee bit too tight for familiar local Boston Rousters, then that’s jus’ too tough, ‘cause the Bosstown sound lives in this real fine application of psychedell to the bluuuus.

BOBBY BLUE BLAND - His California Albpm (Dunhill):: Boy, the charts are already drawn on this one. Old time lovers still hurting and crying about how it just don’t sound like the old Duke, stuff. Well, as a matter of fact, that’s true. This is so much better than the old Duke stuff that pathos reigns. Bobby Blue Bland is THE exquisite blues (as in R&B) singer evermore (including Ray), and this is (true fact) his best album ever.