My favorite tune isI Got You Coveredby Bill' Rose. (I don't know where Rose is. but he is sorely missed in music.)Old Folks isa strong piece by Jacques Brel and several others. It's beautifully written, but I sometimes wonder if thoughtful older people do not smile at the ar- rogance of the young, who love to write about being old and sad and used up.Roots Toot Toot for the Moon.by Greg Brown, is fine ex- cept that itis a musical carbon copy ofA Whiter Shade ofPale. The single.On the Road.was well produced by Peter Yarrow (Peter. Paul. and Mary) and Phil Ramone (probably the best of the New York engineers who have gotten very wise about producing in recent years) as well as Chris Dedrick. Dedrick seems to have been an important influence here as player, arranger. background singer. and producer. Michael Johnson's album strikes me as a project in which spread each man involved worked up to his best capacity. which was con- siderable. That the album is as appealing com- mercially asitis artistically is a particular pleasure to listeners like me. Salud. M.A. Michael Johnson-uptohisbest, considerable capacity.

NEW YORK DOLLS. Johnny Thunders, vocals and guitar; Sylvain Sylvain, vocals, piano, and The Peacemaker; Woman of the World; seven Santana and John McLaughlin, prod.) CO- guitar; David Jo Hansen, vocals, harmonica, more. (Albert Hammond, prod.) Mums KZ LUMBIAKC 32034.$5.98. Tape: EO, CA and gong; Arthur Harold Kane, bass; Jerry 32267, $5.98. Tape:.. ZA 32267, $6.98; Si 32034, $6.98; En CT 32034. $6.98. Nolan, drums; instrumental accompaniment. ZT 32267, $6.98. PersonalityCrisis;tenmore. (Todd Two of Columbia's rock -guitar "heavies" are Rundgren, prod.) MERCURY SRM 1-675, Albert Hammond'sIt Never Rains in Califor- combined here for an afternoon of rock and $5.98. Tape: 4 MC81-675, $6.95; MCR4 niawas one of the more striking of the recent religion. They are pictured with Sri Chimnoy 1-675, $6.95. pop hits. Here was a compelling tune. sung (presumably the guru of one or both of them). and arranged with so much craft and style that who wrote the liner notes. It's a curious com- The New York Dolls is the latest arrival in the it automatically became a hypnotic listening bination of backgrounds. but the album is genre that has been called freak rock (among experience. Whenever this particular song was good-though it does sound like another San- other things), the area of endeavor popu- played on the radio, youhadto listen, that's a'l tana album: light Latin rhythms. chanted larized by Alice Cooper. The Dolls are boys there was toit! Hammond's debutLP."It high, wailing guitars. and long. sem 1- im- who dress like girls, including exaggerated Never Rains in California." did not possess a provisational songs. makeup and allthe usual accouterments. single other track to match the quality of its The songs are not as interesting melodical I \ There is one who looks like Mick Jagger. and title cut.Infact, all of the other selections on as most of Santana's own, but in all there isn't one who looks like a '52 Buick. Henry Ed- that disc were distinctly inferior; "The Free much difference. The main fault isall the wards discussed the freak -rock phenomenon Electric Band" is a slight improvement. piousness pictured on the jacket. The musi- at length last month in his "Rock and Rouge" Hammond (who co-authors his songs with cians. dressed in white and with short hair. feature review. He suggested there that the Lee Hazlewood) does pick some interesting look like cheerleaders. The guru. in red robes. commercial success of the Dolls would go a topics to write about. The composer/per- orange football jacket. and white socks, looks long way toward determining the future of the former deals with contemporary and tradi- silly. Musicians should keep their spiritual in- movement: Can such a group make it without tional human values and writes tunes about clinations to themselves. Can you imagine a the staggering promotional budgets accorded compulsive seekers. Though the Hammond WASP printingThe Lord's Prayeron his al - Alice and David Bowie? sound-created in large measure by Michael hum jacket? M.J. Well, the commercial fate of this record re- Omartian's smart arrangements and Ham- mains to be seen. But the record isn't very mond's powerhouse vocals-still attracts, there WOLFMAN JACK: Through the Ages. Wolf - promising (not that there's necessarily any is an essential thinness about hisoeuvre.Slick- man Jack, vocals; Don Sciarrotta and Dick connection). As with all such ensembles, there ness has never been a substitute for artistry Monda, arr. The Rapper; My Girl; Ling, Ting, is a great tendency to ignore musical values in anti. once again. "The Free Electric Band" Tong; seven more. (Don Sciarrotta and Dick the face of all the visuals. However, onstage proves this essential point. Nevertheless. Monda, prod.) WOODEN NICKELBWL 1-0119, visuals don't do much to help out a record. un- Hammond does have more than a modicum $5.98. Tape: *A BWS 1-0119,$6.95. less you choose to stare at the album -cover of talent.The Free Electric BandandSmoker photo all evening. The recording itselfis Factory Blues.may be undistinguished tunes Wolfman Jack is a Los Angeles disc jockey rather bad; the music sounds like Led Zeppe- but they are engaging. and they prove that the who has recently widened his range by semi - lin. but done with even less imagination. The Hammond potential is still intact. hosting late -night TV rock concerts and mak- lead vocals of David Jo Hansen are imitations Hammond has written and performed one ing odd and interesting records. of Mick Jagger, only horridly done: Jagger of the better pop tunes -1tNever Rains in Cal- Wolfman Jack is an original. The first time I himself has difficulty hitting the notes; this ifornia;he's still young; he could very well still heard him on radio I hated him. He talked in boy doesn't even miss gracefully. Finally. the create a striking album with enough depth to the kind of raw. raspy. hip styleI associate songs-all originals-are boring and repetitive. please rather than irritate the listener. H.E. with hard -sell hustle and other forms of jive. If you must repeat. you could at least have the The picture changes once you begin to listen kindness to start with a good song. The New to what he's saying. In reality Wolfman Jack is York Dolls may be interesting when seen in CARLOS SANTANA AND MAHAVISHNU JOHN a gentle. pleasant. and above all sincere man. M.J. concert; on record, they're a solid loss. MCLAUGHLIN: Love, Devotion, Surrenoer. Indeed he holds a complicated career together Carlos Santana, guitar; Mahavishnu John through nothing but sheer sincerity. That is ALBERT HAMMOND: The Free Electric Band. McLaughlin, guitar and piano; vocal and in- the quality that makes him likable even Albert Hammond,rhythm guitar and vocals; strumental accompaniment. A Love Su- through his habitual hip clichés and other silli- keyboard, rhythm, bass, strings, and vocal preme; Naima; The Life Divine; Let Us Go into nesses. accompaniment. Smokey FactoryBlues; the House of the Lord; Meditation. (Carlos If you buy this album you buy neither a

HIGHFIDELITY MAGAZINE 139