Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Volume 38, Number 13. 12th June 1975
Records
Records
Red-King Crimson (Island)
A sad event this, for 'Red' is the final studio album we shall see from King Crimson, in my opinion the finest group ever to tread the boards. Side one opens with the title track, uncompromisingly heavy, with strong chord work from Fripp underpinned by John Wetton's powerful bass lines. Bruford thrashes about on percussives as if he were possessed. Next up is a song, 'Fallen Angel', which opens quietly in the 'Exiles'/'Lament' tradition, but develops into something approaching the heaviness of the title track. Side one closes with 'One More Red Nightmare; another heavy metal workout featuring further use of Fripp power chords, and to and behold, the return to the fold of Mk No. 1 Crimsiod Ian McDonald.
Actually, he isn't the only former member or guest player to crop up on 'Red'. There's the recently-departed David Cross (violin), ace blower Mel Collins (soprano sax), Robin Miller (oboe), and Marc Charig (cornet), who had added so much to 'Lizard'.
Side two opens with 'Providence', probably one of the five best tracks laid down in the whole history of King Crimson. All members are shown to their fullest advantage, particularly Cross and Bruford. To adequately describe this track is nigh on impossible. 'Bloody incredible' approximates. My suggestion is that you go into a record shop and give it a listen. Then the final cut, 'Starless', fittingly an amalgam of the old Crimson (lush, mellotron, fluid guitar, etc.) with the new, heavy, or whatever, Crimson, (they have always been a band that defies labelling or categorization.)
This track begins with the afore-mentioned lush mellotron, overlaid with a beautiful, fluid guitar melody from Fripp. Wetton comes in next with some slow, almost reverent vocals, and all this goes on for a few minutes. Then — all change! The new Crimson comes to the fore as the piece really gets going, with Fripp moving up the fret-board a semitone or a tone at a time. The rest of the group form a solid backdrop for this until the tempo changes abruptly, and it becomes a free-for-all, with McDonald taking up Fripp's guitar tune on the sax. And thus ends the last studio album from King Crimson.
In England, a live album called 'USA' has just been released. It contains numbers from 'Lark's Tongues' and 'Starless', a new one called 'Asbury Park" (and verily I say unto thee, it is second only to 'Fracture' as the finest thing King Crimson have ever done!), plus the perennial 'Schizoid Man'. From 1969 to 1974, King Crimson gave us nine magnificent albums, each one totally different from the proceeding one. Of all the so-called avant-garde artrack school, they were and always will be the best. Barring 'USA' (and that will come), all their LP's are again available here in NZ. Buy them while you can.
King Crimson 1969-1974. R.I.P.
'There's One In Every Crowd'
For all those who see Eric Clapton as the Perfect Master, the last 12 months have certainly been a vintage year. First came his masterful '46l Ocean Boulevard' album, followed by a triumphant world tour that delightfully included Auckland, and now a new album.
So after an all-too lengthy period in the wilderness, Eric is back with a vengeance, be it making gossip columns with his affair with Patti Harrison, starring in 'Tommy' or writing-off -his sports car. Well then, does his new album deliver the goods?
The cover is certainly intriguing; a shot of an emaciated mongrel with mournful eyes leaps out at you.
The initial reaction to the music is that Clapton has taken no risks. There's the customary traditional blues, a couple of spirituals, and five original Clapton cuts, all in the restrained, relaxed style that dominated '461 Ocean Boulevard'. No dazzling riffs a la 'Layla' or 'Sunshine of Your Love' here. Eric has changed as has his music; it was indeed sad that so many of those who saw him at Western Springs were not prepared to accept the changes.
'There's One In Every Crowd' can validly be seen as extending the reggae feel of '461'. The choice of Jamaica and Miami as recording locations certainly reflects this — Mmm, the sunshine, the palm trees, good dope; the trials of being a rock 'n roll star!
Side one opens with a traditional spiritual; 'We've Been Told, Jesus Coming Soon'. And once we're feeling expectant, along comes 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot' — that's right, the one you sung in Sunday School, but I bet you never did it as beautifully as this. Definately a high point of the album, with Yvonne and Marcy sounding just so sweet. This 'spiritual' emphaiss is certainly not new in Clapton's music, remember his 'Presence of the Lord' of Blind Faith days, and '461' has 'Motherless Children', and 'Give Me Strength'. We might dislike the sentiments, but the beauty of the style of music cannot be questioned.
The style changes with 'Little Rachel' and its J J. Cale-like strumming rythms, then onto the reggae of 'Don't Blame Me', an amusing sequel to 'I Shot The Sheriff'.
'It could never have been me I didn't shoot no deputy'.
Its musically similar to 'I Shot The Sheriff' without being as immediately catchy. Side one ends with an habitual Elmore James song. 'The Sky Is Crying'. A slow blues with fine piano from Dick Sims.
'Night after Day
Day after Night
Light after Death
Death after Life'
Clapton's band here is identical to the one we saw at Western Springs; the empathy is striking, the playing superb, the backing vocals of Yvonne Elliman and Marcy Levy giving a more rounded sound.
On first hearings there don't seem to be as many highspots as on '461' but there are 40 minutes of serene music from a man whose master of himself and his instrument. That surely suffices.
'There's One In Every Crowd'. There should be one in your record collection.
Out Of The Storm by Jack Bruce (RSO)
Jack Bruce is to rock what Stone's Green Ginger Wine is to Friday night: unmistakeable, and as essential as the Essential James Joyce. Today Cream is remembered as a brilliant music band, the leaders along with Hendrix and not-too-many others. But those songs were more than riffs and drum solos — take a look again at 'Disraeli Gears' or 'Wheels of Fire'. Those titles are strange man, and the lyrics are not mere burnt-out acid-madness ash. They're highly colourful: bizarre and apathetic; the work of Bruce and Pete Brown.
After Cream, Bruce worked with Life-time, then made one excellent album, 'Songs For A Tailor'. They were great songs: lyrics by Pete Brown twisted into poetry — 'The Ministry of Bag', 'Rope-ladder To The Moon', and the classic 'Wierd of Hermiston'. Then came 'Harmony Row' with Brown again, which was not as successful, and a jazz-inflected album, 'Things We Like'. Then some work with West, Bruce and Laing.
And now 'Out Of The Storm', and Pete Brown again. All the lyrics are by him.
... When the life is made of straw
Can you twll me what it's for
Waves that pound against the door
Leave me at the place of/
throw it away / throw it away ...
(Pieces of Mind)
Playing for time, searching for signs
Save the eyes so bright, from closing in the night
Keep the softest flame burning ...
(Golden Days)
it's part of the English genius, and has a marked affinity with the excess of Victorian romanticism. If not on the page then certainly on record — in Bruce's haunting delivery. He composed all of the music, sings all of the vocals and plays a number of instruments. In addition Steve Hunter (he was here with Lou Reed last year) features on guitar, and both Jim Keltner and Jim Gordon play drums.
It's something of a musical wilderness; it's heavy, but a heaviness that has nothing to do with volume — no screaming electric fire. Obliquely, not deliberately Bruce and Brown invoke the elements of an older, ancient past. Something dreadful and pagan: this is what is unique to the music of Jack Bruce. And 'Out of the Storm' confirms a style, but has fewer suprises that the earlier albums.
The album title? 1) like Clapton, Bruce has apparently been weaned off heroin lately 2) the album might just as easily have been called 'More Stonehenge Blues'.
Spaces by Lary Coryell (Vanguard)
'Spaces' is an album featuring some of the more celebrated jazz-rock musicians at the present time: Larry Coryell and John McLaughlin on guitar, Chich Corea on electric piano, Miroslav Vitous, bass, and 'Dreams' founder, Billy Cobham, drums.
These people are richly steeped in the jazz-rock culture, and with a deep understanding among themselves have produced an instrumental music that defies categorization; it is textured, flowing, perhaps classical in approach, these are mere labels. The record is superbly improvised with long, fluid contributions from all concerned.
McLaughlin's playing is deliberate and at times technical; he shares an acoustic solo with Coryell on 'Rene's Theme', a fast, interweaving track, and on 'Wrong is Right", a fine electric duel between the two. I had expected to see McLaughlin more to the fore but he appears content to partner Coryell in forming directions rather than making any personal efforts to do so.
Coryell is a spirited guitarist, rushing into pieces with zest, though showing that he and McLaughlin share an understanding that allows them to play amazing tracks such as 'Rene's Theme' and 'New Year's Day in Los Angeles' with superb interplay.
Chich Corea stars on 'Chris' giving a fine solo on electric piano, putting his usual nature on display.
Miroslav Vitous and Billy Cobham, both 'Dreams' members, play together in a detente that inspires listening. Both improvise and deviate, with rich deep tones accelerating to a frenzied intensity, then falling like snowflakes, it assumes a cohesive and regular feel.
The record was suitably lauded by 'Rolling Stone' but in rather unrealistic terms. It is beautiful improvisations, marked with exceptional skill and feel.
Souvenirs: Dan Fogelberg Epic Records
'Here is a poem that my lady sent down,
Some morning while I was away.
Wrote on the back of a leaf that she found,
Somewhere around Monterey ...
And down in the canyon the smoke starts to rise,
It rides on the wind till it reaches your eyes.
When faced with the past, the strongest man cries ...'
And Dan Fogelberg sings like an angel. This is as warm as an album by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young — sparkling acoustic rock with perfect harmonics from three eagles — Don Henley, Randy Meisner and Glenn Frey — and the Ladies of the Canyon Willie. The music is in fact very similar to the Eagles, the softer tracks from 'On The Border' especially.
Dan Fogelberg is a 23-year-old from Illinois who writes songs about the land: wistful and celebratory in the face of a culture disappearing under a flood of effluent — taking in Bogdanovich's one-picture show scenario bathrooms with concrete floors and a sheriff who hates long hair and patched jeans. Now what was that Curtis Mayfield line about the meanest deputy you ever saw? In as much, 'Souvenirs' is triumphantly romantic.
It's very much a young album from a singer-songwriter who obviously needs to grow. Joe Walsh produced it and a whole bunch of Los Angeles musicians perform, including Walsh himself on guitar, and Russ Kunkel on drums. Since most of the songs were written in 1972 'Souvenirs' does not represent exactly where Fogelberg's head is now. But it's a better than average introduction.