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Salient. Victoria University Students' Newspaper. Volume 39, Issue Number 11. 31 May 1976

Rock

page 14

Rock

Sweet Trials: Mark Williams EMI

Mark Williams' debut album released last year deserved its kudos. The brilliant combination of pop-soul, the sheer panache of tracks like "Love the One You're With" and "Ain't No Sunshine" made it a classy production. Sweet Trials fails to keep the grade. By use of mainly homespun material, a determinedly 'rocky' oriented approach to the album and brass backing leftovers from Grunt Machine, the end result is an overall lowering of quality.

Reece Kirk's "Sweet Wine" is the only local song that draws significant attention and is at least memorable. Although it had a lot of airplay and wasn't very well received as a single, "Sweet Wine" is a product of fresh original talent and unreservedly highlights the album. Only a few other songs do justice to Mark's soulful vocals.

Kiki Dee's "If It Rains", one of the three foreign tracks on the album, is performed convincingly with strong vocal backings. However, it is Ann Pebble' "I Can't Stand The Rain" that allows Mark to be in his true element and stand out as a unique soul-artist.

The remaining tracks are all very commercial, the trowaway disco sort has a certain sameness to it on hearing for the first time.

The Rocking horse composition "No Matter How Hard You Try" is an interesting boogie number but is no less wasteful than the hashed version of Bowie's "Watch That Man".

Alan Galbraith's handling of production is competent enough but seems to have come in too heavy on the brass, at the expense of some possible rich orchestrations. The backing does tend to be loose, loud in places and superfluous in others which makes one wonder whether the album was less a solo one than a vehicle for contract groups to remain in employ.

However, the album does have its highlights and Mark Williams does not disappoint. Hopefully, his decision to remain in New Zealand doesn't mean he won't look further afar for material that belie his talents.

- Suedo Nim

The Car Over the Lake Album: Ozark Mountain Dare Devils

In a sentence? A collection of harmless songs. I can't deny that at times the music itself is pleasant even good, but I must protest at the appalling lyrics which made this listener wonder if the Dare devils weren't laughing at the record company. To me it's almost incomprehensible that this is a serious album.

In fact some of the tracks, such as Cobblestone Mountain and Sypsy Forest are children's songs - seemingly adapted from stories they read as children. That would be excusable if this was an album for children. But it isn't. So the album says no more than - we're a group of lads making music and so long as it sounds pretty, it's fine by us.

The Car Over the Lake Album album cover by the Ozark Mountain Dare Devils

Pop groups can't however, hide behind the "subjectiveness of it all". Try to hide behind these cringing lyrics from the song "Leatherwood".

"country love gonna steal your mind and we aint never gonna be blue".

I should have wept when I heard that -but I didn't. Hardened by years of listening to commercial radio has conditioned me not to react too violently to bad music.

The opening track on Side One is a prophetic introduction to the general condition of this album. Called "Keep on Churning", its solid beat is ruined by a membled message about love and butter-making. Perhaps the N.Z. Dairy Board could pluck the song's kernel from obscurity.

In essence, this album lacks something There is no spirit in it, all meaning is lost in vague sentimental references to love, nature and the countryside. This is the first Dare devils album I have heard so I am able to make comparisons.

Perhaps the kindest words I have are that some of the melody lines are strong and vital - the musical ability of the group is not in question. But on the whole the compositions lack overall depth and variation for the lyrics relegate the songs to their level of absurdity.

- Leigh Thompson

'Better Days and Happy Endings' - Melissa Manchester.

When an undertaking is made to review records, there must also be the realisation that there will be occasions when the record allocated is not one which you particularly like.

This is one such occasion. Melissa Manchester's 'Better Days and Happy Endings' does not appeal to me. Bearing this in mind the task is then to attempt to write a review which while acknowledging the impressions gained, also presents the qualities of the record.

The problems involved become apparent immediately. Classifying the style of music is not in itself difficult but adding comments as to whether or not the record is a good example is not so easy. How can an accurate appraisal be made when you do not like the type of music?

Melissa Manchester sings the soft, negro soul sound which has become known as the sound of Philedelphia. This is a recent and very commercial development. The music is light and smooth but with a few notable exceptions does not aspire to any heights in originality or quality of innovation. So with this record, there is only one track of any note - the big selling single 'Just You and I'.

The lady's voice deserves far better than the material she wastes it on. She appears to be quite capable of a provocative Chi Coltrane-like performance. The quality of her voice hints at something much more inventive than at present.

A number of the songs are self-compositions and others written in company with her backing musicians. Of these performers, such well knowns as Stanley Schwartz and David Wolfert stand out. Their easy paced electric lead and rhythm add a touch of sophistication that would otherwise be sorely missed. 'Just You and I' and 'Come in from the Rain' are the best examples.

The same cannot be said for organ and percussion. For all the interest they create a reversion to a simple time keeping beat would be preferable. (Witness 'Good News' and 'Be Her Days').

Originality is also lacking in the production and arrangement of the tracks on the record as well as of the songs themselves. There is little variation and I found the whole product monotonous. An avid fan would needless to say disagree, which again illustrates the difficulty in presenting a satisfactory review when you have no liking for the music.

All in all not a very memorable record but in company with others of its kind sells very well, so many obviously do not share the sentiments expressed here.

Melissa Manchester can therefore feel satisfied with her music. After all - if the people want it......then it must be good.

- Mike Freeman

Another Green World - Eno Island ILPS 9351

There are two Brian Eno's. One is a writer of catchy, clever pop songs, the other wants to experiment. On his two previous albums, 'Here Come The Warm Jets' and 'Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy)', the latter as yet unreleased in NZ, the pop-song Eno has been to the fore.

They are no ordinary pop songs, rather they are pop songs which use the commercial-style song medium while at the same time attempting to extend/modify that medium (he really should release more singles: Seven Deadly Finns was incredible). The balance between pop and experimentation on these two albums is very tenuous. '

Not so with 'Another Green World'. With this album Eno emerges as a major talent to be reckoned with. A perfect balance between experimentation and pop songs is achieved, There are only a few songs, but these are far more polished and sophisticated than their predecessors.

Gone is the blitzkrieg, Velvet Underground-influenced sound of things like 'Blank Frank' or the incredible 'Third Uncle'. In its place is something much more subtle.

'Another Green World' is a strange record, but a very satisfying one. Most of it is instrumental, and there is more use of electronics than previously. Eno achieves a perfect balance between electronics and more conventional electric instruments in a way that no one prior to him has. Virtually every track on the album attests to this, but I would particularly recommend 'Sky Saw', 'In Dark Trees', 'Becaland', and the best one, 'Zawinul/Lava' (has our Brian been getting into Weather Report?).

Several tracks are very short, such as 'Little Fishes', an Eno solo featuring prepared piano (a la Cage), and the title track.

The songs are his best yet. There's even a love song! 'Everything Merges with the Night' is a love song in the Robert Wyatt mould, though there are definite shades of Syd Barrett too, 'Golden Hours' is played by Eno, Robert Fripp, and John Cale - how about that for a trio!. If these three hit the road together all other bands might just as well pack up and retire.

This song is a killer, and features a great cascading solo from Fripp (and it sure is nice to have the world's finest exponent of the electric guitar on record again.) It is a shame Eno doesn't believe in lyric sheets: unlike those of many liggers masquerading as song-writers, Eno's are always interesting.

My favourite track is the last one 'Spirits Drifting', an Eno solo. It features beautiful, swirling synthesizer textures underscored by bass and organ. It has an eerie, other-wordly yet peaceful quality to it, and is a lovely end to the album, leaving one very much 'up' in mood.

'Another Green World' is far and away Eno's best album yet, and it heralds great things for the future. It would be a foolish mistake to write him off as just another berk fiddling with a synthesizer. Ignore at your own peril.

David MacLennan

Review copies supplied compliments of Colin Morris Records, Mayfair Chambers, 54 The Terrace.

10% Student Discount Applies.