ROCK-A-RAMA

ROCK.A.ROMA

PATTI SMITH GROUP - "My Generation" * (Arista) (45' rprri) :: The "A" side, "Gloria," ' you've heard; it's "Generation" (recorded live in Cleveland, Ohio with John Cale on bass) that you'll want to own this for. The band is loose, even sloppy — Patti so stoned she can't even remember the third verse, Cale so drunk that the bass solo sounds like an eighth-grader attempting Entwistle..,the obscenities, the fumbled ending (I was there; they had to drag Cale off by his feet before he could destroy any more equipment), the audience's audible confusion, all add up to one monster 3:16 of rock "n" roll. Peter Townshend might not approve, but he might learn a lesson (PattiSmith turned 30 in December) . P.L.

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN • Sentimental Journey (Columbia) :: Bring the boys home.

J.G.

KISS - Destroyer (Casablanca) :: Damn I Ezrin anyway. It's bad enough that he's had the nerve to put his kids on the. last three albums that he's produced, but where does he come off adding piano, a choir, bells and chimes, strings and a full blown orchestra on a Kiss album? Simmons" bass is mixed down to nothing, and although the drums do pound out heavy, the guitars are strictly of sterilized "Welcome To My Nightmare" calibre. Not only that, but how come Bob always manages to end up co-writing all the sonjgs on every album he produces? Sure, the first two tracks are the greatest things Kiss have ever done, but that's still not enough compensation to stop me from walking around the comer, knocking on his door, and punching Ezrin in the nose on behalf of Kiss fans everywhere. Better move, Bob, y'hear? , J.M.

THE VELVET UNDERGROUND - White Light/White Heat (Verve) :: Interesting though somewhat uneven entry in the "raunch rock" genre by energetic New York quartet with plenty of good old get up and go and surrealistic lyrics in the folk-rock mode popularized by Dylan. Though still ranking in the "promising" category, what they lack in technical skills they more than make up for in enthusiasm. With proper production values, could score on next outing. B.B.

TONY CONRAD - Outside The Dream Syndicate (Virgin):: At last: An album that out machines Metal Machine? Could be; side one is a steady death drone that seems to go on forever — and that's the side called "The Side Of Man And Womankind," Side two is called "The Side Of The Machine," and I'm personally afraid to even think of what it might contain, let alone actually p/ay the damned thing. Any volunteers?

J,M.

ROXY MUSIC - Siren (Atco) Sad to feel how the old thrills have gone so fast. Or maybe that's just pop music. But a year and a half? In any case, no cool in bands explode, and you know whose fault it is. But what, ever, held them together? Except for a moment: Stranded whole, or even "Psalm," 1974. A good year for aristocracy. L,B.

CHICK COREA • Return To Forever (ECM):: Recordedover three years ago and only recently released in the U.S., this album is the first recording by what has become one of the most popular groups in jazz. Actually only the nucleus of the present RTF is here — Corea and bassist Stanley Clarke — rounded out by Joe Farrell, flutes/soprano sax; Flora Purim, vocals/percussion: and Airto Moreira, drums/percussiOn. At the time it was a revolutionary turnabout for Corea, "the result of a very straightforward decision" as he says in the liners which turned him from the freer work of Circle and his solo piano albums to music which Was "melodic and lyrical with more traditional rhythms." As one who finds little of interest in what RTF has become, who feels that traditional rhythms have led to traditional monotony, and thinks that their use of electric guitar is unimaginative and boringly trendy -well, believe me. folks, this record is a stunner. The music here is as simple and as beautiful as the azure melding of sea and horizon oh the album's cover. Why it wasn't released when it was recorded is a mystery and a crime.

R.C.W.

J.R.R. TOLKEIN - The Lord of The Rings (Caedmon) xx You haven't lived "til you've heard the Man from Middle Earth perform compositions such as his memorable "Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit" or exerpts from .the funky and enigmatic "Treebeard:" "A Conspiracy Unmasked" has the greatest AM potential, but "At thf Sign of the Prancing Pony" is a perfect disco number. Around my cave, it's been hobbitual listening. M.S.

ROY WOOD - Mustard (United Artists) x: Still clever after all these years, Roy Wood hasn't abandoned that Oh-I'm-sQ-sensitive-I-can-heirdlyrh^ar-tOTdraw-another-breath expression which has characterized so many .pf his photos since the golden era of the Move (cf. the back ' cover of Shazam). For solipsism laced, with sensitivity remains one of the most marketable condiments of all, and Wood spreads it on thick on Mustard. He drops several good Beach Boy quotes, but in general his one-man-band approach only serves to reveal his less than absolute mastery of all his instruments. In fact (for Wood is ever the compleat artiste) , his cover cartoons are almost more interesting than the music therein. Sorry, Roy. your former mates across town in the ELO are making the better neo-Spector r'n"r of the day. R.R.

PAVLOV'S DOG • At the Sound of the Bell (Columbia) xx Nothing less than the reinstatement of post-Arthur Lee/Love/fLeft Banke Pretty-rock. The institution never looked better; even with roots showing (Balin, Percy Faith, Raymond LeFevre, helium), PD pulls it off royally. David Surkamp's songs and singing hit all the standard P-rock essentials on the head: petulance, self-pity, bittersweet reminiscences. Prettier music is just not being made. G.S.

This month's rockaramas were written by Peter Laughner. Jean Genet, Jeffrey Morgan, Bill Bored, Lester Bangs. Richard C. Walls. Michael Snyder. Richard Riegel. and Gene Scuhtti.