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THC CHRISTGOU COnSUITlCR GUIDC

byRobert Christgau

From the grodes. you might expect AHo Guthrie: "Hobo * Lullabye"
that this consumer guide KAS another (Reprise). One of the best of those
case of the nondescript leading the exploring-the- folkie-sensibility records,
mediocre, but the miracle is that every- with everything from "Ukelele Lady"
one of these artists is special. and the to one of Woody ’ s heaviest anti-scab
reality is that not eren Spring has ballads (with several new, slightly
figured out how to make that outmoded songs about trains and
specialness manifestly pleasurable. at booze) pressed through the same
least not to me. Well, for one thing. / nostalgic mold. B plus.
haven7 been Consumer Guiding the A
records - I’ve got to write long The Isleys: "Brother Brother Brother"
about something - but here ’ s a hint: l (T- Ncck). The Isley Brothers were
sure have been listening to the new bunched in the wake of the group
Van Morrison and Rod Stewart a lot. revival inspired by the pop Drifters,
If you really like 0Sullivan and Croce and now they are just about where the
on the radio,youII probably like their Drifters were then - which means
LPs. and if you really, really like they have successfully transformed
Solomon Burke you might even like their style for a new audience, in this
-
Ml case hip and vaguely jazz oriented
Forget Birlha and Supa though. blacks. A lot of w-aste. as usual, but a
better than the title hit, "Operator." serviceable party record, and most of
"Birtha " (Dunhill). Hi! I’m Chsckie! More than a novelty, less than the big the first side moves. B minus.
Fly me to Quaalude! In which Gabriel star he doubtless wants to be, he ll be
Mekler, sly devil, combines heavy around. B minus , Jefferson Airplane: "Long John Sil-
music cliches with four female ver " (Grunt). This is certainly the best
musicians, none of whom seem to have Bo Diddley: "Where It All Began ’ ’ record to come from anyone in the
last names. There is the enigmatic soft (Chess). How bad can a Bo Duldley Airplane since "Volunteers” the
song. "She Was Good To Me, " so record be? A lot worse than this. It hole left by Marty Balin has finally
maybe they ’ re a buncha dykes or lose could have horns, or feature his been smoothed over. The music is
their mothers. This could all be version of the latest hits, only his muscular, with much of the flatness
rationalized by some eager feminist producers (Pete Welding and Johnny that normally enervates sci- fi rock
theorist - women have never played Otis) know better than that. But how gone. But whatever feelingGrace Slick
macho rock before, and last names are good can a Bo Diddley record be? put into her singing in the days of her
patronymics after all - but it would Unlike Chuck Berry, who also must innocence has disappeared, and Paul
still be lousy. D. transcend his own musical homo- Kantner never had any to begin with,
genity. Bo is no lyricist, and most of which is probably why this is so much
Solomon Burke: "We’re Almost the material here lacks variety and easier to admire than to like. It's hard
Home” (MGM). It is the custom to drive. C plus , to love even the most human machine.
blame abortive comebacks by great B plus.
rhythm-and- blues singers on the pro - The Doors: "FuU Circle" (Elektra).
ducers, but Burke has one- third pro- Anyone can sing rock, but that doesn ’ t ’The Johnstons " (Mercury). What do
duction credit on tins one himself. The mean just anyone. Richard Nixon you call it when an honest and
title song is acceptable, but all that can’t, and neither can Barbra Strei- political Irish folk duo adds strings and
nukes the rest of Burke ' s twisted sand, and I bet Peter Fonda can ' t horn arrangements for no perceivable
shout credible is the memory of how either. Well,neither can Ray Manzarek purpose, including increased sales’ *
honestly he was performing at Atlantic or Robbie Krieger. whose voices share How about sham- rock? C.
ten years ago. Cluttered and aimless.C
minus. one salient quality: they are uptight. Is Arthur Lee: "Vindicator” ( A&M). As
this slick ecclcticism what all those
experts who used to claim Jim the center of Love, the Los Angeles
Jim Croce: "You Don’ t Mess Around Morrison was limiting his musicians equivalent of the Velvet Underground
with Jim ’’ (ABC). A nice, original had in mind? This record wouldn t be in both critical enthusiasm (maximal)
'
persona here - the truck driver. so bad if you could ignore the vocals and commercial success (minimal),Lee
-
world weary machismo with a heart of and the lyrics but that ’ s a whole lot to was a ranking mode genius of the
gold - plus a song that should be even ask.C. CONTINUED ON PAGE 74.
November. 1972 15