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like “Galveston " without fear, or be loose with nine parrots, all of which have something
enough to tackle a song ("Love Hurts") that to say, you’d be pretty weird too). The only
he didn’t write. (That both songs are among way Mull can be described by way of
the album 's highlights may say even more.) comparison would be as a cross between Dan
The only let-down is " Catharsis," a song that Hicks (though not as scat) and Randy
aims its intensity at a series of generalities too Newman (though not as sardonic) with a
cold to be brought off. touch of Cole Porter thrown in. But he’s
What Lettert says over and above all is difficult to nail down to any particular
that even for one who has already category. He can mambo, waltz, charleston,
accomplished so much, Jimmy Webb displays cha cha, or twist, all with the same deadpan
a remarkable capacity for growth and candor.
development. To say that he is the best is to Side one is a pure delight, with such gems
confine him to a place that by tomorrow will as " Ventriloquist Love," the sad lament of a
be part of his past. He to simply Jimmy Webb, guy who can ' t get a word in edgewise, except
and that ' s something I think you11 find the ones his girl puts in his mouth:
satisfying, if not totally exhilirating. "Ventriloquist love/ it ain’t such a
Ben F .dmonds groove/whenever I kiss you/your lips never
move. " Or "Loser’s Samba," the confession
CARNEY of an alcoholic: * the bag I’m in is just a
LEON RUSSELL package from the package store." Admittedly,
SHELTER some of the arrangements on side two grate a
context of the song, to just as well anyway. little after the initial impact of the gags has
'
I ve always had trouble enjoying Leon Now, all this isn’t meant to imply that worn off, but by and large it’ s all quite
Russell. I had a Mad Dogs <4 Englishmen Carney (which, incidentally, was named after easygoing entertainment with a satirical kick.
impression of the guy, seeing him as more of a a Hollywood acquaintance and longtime Sort of like sapping lemonade spiked with
supersession type who hangs in the friend of Russell 's, Art Carney), doesn ' t have tequila.
background God- like and pulls all the right its serious side, too. There are songs on the
-
strings for Cocker, just like in the movie album equal in intensity to anything Russell
and because of this I ' ve always been slightly has done before. In fact, my favorite piece
suspicious of the man 's ability to relate to an from the album to a down-tempo thing with
audience on his own terms. His first solo an infectious near bossa nova beat called
albums (discounting the Asylum Choir stufT) "Masquerade," which features not only a
didn ' t do much for me. I've always found haunting flute passage, but also some of the
them to be somewhat over- intense , somehow tastiest guitar playing ever heard on a Leon
superficial in their desire to be noticed. It's Russell album. Also, long- time Russell fans
almost as if Russell put them out mainly so's will be more than satisfied with the crassness
he could say "Look at me! I 'm the real star! of "My Cricket" and "Me and Baby Jane. "
I'm the real talent! " But with Carney Leon which both fit in well the traditional Russell
Russell finally seems to have dropped the concept.
whole pretense of the mystic over- star, and to In short, Carney ought to win Russell a lot
starting to play music that anyone can relate of new fans. Its songs are generally melodic
to, even relative simps like you and I. It's and approachable, and they keep you coming
more like fun music than tortured soul back after the first playing. Hell. I ' ve already
drippings , and because of this Carney to the played the album about ten times, and I don 't
most accessible album Russell has yet even Uke the guy. But Leon Russell has come
released. If you don ' t believe it, turn on one to earth, finally, and it ain ' t bad.
of your hipper AM stations and chances are Alan Niester
you ' ll find a variety of things from the album Mull lays it all down in the last cut,
getting repeated airplay. MARTIN MULL “Songwriter's Blues
From the very outset Russell shows that CAPRICORN
Carney to an album to listen to, not bear with. I got to be managed,
‘Tightrope " and " Cajun Love Sung" have a This new Martin Mull record raises several booked and published
light, airy, almost drunken feel to them. crucial questions: Is this band really made up and still pretend I've got some soul
There ' s lots more light stuff on the album, entirely of midgets? When they say that When the ladies all want waltzes
too, stuff that makes even "Delta Lady" seem they ' re the only band that sucks on purpose, and the kids, they need their rock'n ' roll
ponderous by comparison. For example, side do they mean it? And what does a whistling I gotta be nuts to try and please them
two starts off with " Carney," a shitty little dwarf have to do with a 17 year old amputee? I guess1 am, just a little bit
piece of screwring around on trumpet and, I Is Mullitto contagious? But I'm stuck on rhyming
think, milk bottle, which slides directly into We simply cannot afford to ignore these for the simple reason
" Acid Annapolis. " Samuel Johnson defined matters any longer. Ask yourself what you 1 just might get a hit
pandemonium as the noise of all the devils actually know about this Mull character. Not
and demons in hell, or some such, and " Acid much. Only, perhaps, that he 's 28 years old, a Mull to not likely to attract hordes of
Annapolis " starts out with the self- same graduate and former instructor at the Rhode swooning fans , but he will probably gain a
tortured caterwaulings from some Tyrolean Island School of Design, and he 's been on the decent following of ardent admirers. Plus,
castle, slips into an interesting Swiss Alps type Warner Bros , payroll for some time as a staff with the exposure that he gets through this
*
shuffle (still inside the castle, mind you) and songwriter and musician. And l ve heard that album, his songwriting talents should begin to
finally ends up with a T.V. show laugh track. there arc many subversive elements festering be more widely recognized and we can expect
It's an absolutely pointless four minutes in that organization. to hear more Mulltoms (like Jane Morgan's
on an album that isn’t exactly overlong in the Look, I ' ve met this guy Mull and I can tell version of Mull’s "A Girl Named Johnny
first place. That the formerly dour faced and you what his act to. He ' s a wise guy. He ' s got a Cash") from various sources in the future.
dour minded Russell should show such an smart crack for every occasion, and often, See. it's just like I said from the start; it ' s a
irreverent attitude toward his music and his he ' s quite funny. Plus sometimes, just plot A creeping, contagious, cancerous
audience to absolutely unthinkable - and sometimes, he 's got a point to make. But for conspiracy. Better be on your toes, 'cause the
great Next comes "If The Shoe Fits," the the most part. Mull is in it for the yuks and way things arc going it won't be long before
pointed and humorous ode to groupies and the bucks, and the result to irreverent, we all have to deal with Martin Mull and his
other such animals that mentions Rolling sarcastic and uproarious, not to mention mob of motley midget musicians.
Stone, not CREEM, in its lyrics, which in the slightly off the wall (if you lived in a mansion Gary Kenton
November, 1972 69