Morgenstern, Dan. [Record Review: John Bishop: Plays His Guitar

~eco rds are reviewed by Chris Albertson, Mike Bourne, Bill Cole Alan Heineman Wayne ones, Larry Kart, John Litweiler John McDonough Dan Morgens~ern Don Nelsen' Harvey Pekar, Doug Ramsey, Larry Ridley, Harvey Siders, C~rol Sloane, and J i:n Szantor. ' Reviews are signed by the writers. .recur · Ratings are:***** excellent,**** very good,*** good,** fair,* poor. Most recordings reviewed are available for purchase through the down beat/RECORD CLUB. ( For mdembership information see details elsewhere in this issue or write to REVIEWS own beat/RECORD CLUB, 222 W. Adams, Chicago, IL 60606) JOHN BISHOP tunes as mass panacea for demonstrations Fire to distorted chanting on the title cut -under the assumption that "we shall PLAYS HIS GUITAR-Tangerine TRCS 1513: -and far too few (if any) pop artists Sweet Emma; Wichita Lineman; Come Together; overcome" if we all sing. exhibit such expressive control of the A Time For Us; Yo11r G11ess Is As Good As Nevertheless, one cannot deny an entire resonance and general tone of the voice Mine; My Cherie Amo11r; Bright Lights And You Girl; Never Fall In Love; For Wes; 35 genre,. and so I did listen, even to Dylan as does Buckley, though no less limited Saint Servon. (who 1s by now too big for himself) and in range to a ceiling tenor and falsetto Personnel: Bishop, guitar; unidentified organ electric bass; drums; strings. ' one salvation amid the doggerel and 'pick than before. Rating:*** in' was Tim Buckley. Furthermore, Buckley is lucky to have Had I not had the opportunity of hear Unlike most contemporaries Buckley with him such compatible co-evolutionary ing Bishop in person on several occasions, (with collaborator Larry Beckett) offered creators as Underwood and Balkin, plus this album might have been less disap on his first Elektra dates true poetry within the added tastes of Baker and the Gard pointing. It fails to conclusively demon evocative musical contexts, and yet, as he ner brothers-for the success of the album strate that this young man is a brilliant progressed a curious reversal happened: is clearly the mutual propulsion among the jazz guitarist, mainly because the selection where at first his imagery proved more players, from erratic jittery tempos through of material and the unimaginative arrange complex and his music simply tasty, grad almost formless sound textures and into ments keep him boxed in most of the time. ually (as best indicated on the Happy Sad even the quasi-cutesy Moulin Rouge. As What we have here, then, is a skillful album) his music became more impression ever, I rejoice that such spirit as that of musician doing the best he can within istic and his lyrics mainly tender love Buckley and his cohorts is available on imposed limitations. On his own For Wes songs. Though lyrical, his singing and record. and Saint Servan, and on the attractive playing likewise moved with a freer im Finally, at a point at which Elton John Never Fall In Love, there is some indi petus; always unpredictable, always humor and Leon Russell and the other one cation of his gifts as an improviser, and ous, his voice evolved as more than a dimensionals arc being heralded as the here and there we get other glimpses. mere vehicle for words, although he still new superstar solo performers, Starsailor Beyond that, we hear his good sound, retained that characteristic delicate quiver proves Tim Buckley the far greater (and accomplished technique, and good time -that sort of magical ethos I often term so far less noticed) : a sincerely eclectic elfin. (on a jazz romp, he can swing his tail and compassionate artist who, as the adage off), but that's unfortunately not enough On Lorca, the sensitive interplay of speaks, must be heard to be believed. to make the album a sample of Bishop's Buckley's vocals (both verbal and non -Bourne best. Nor are the recorded sound and bal verbal) with pianist Underwood and the ance flattering, and the drumming is often drone of the strings bear witness to his LARRY CORYELL new directions: a contrapuntal scheme of logy while the organ is only fair. This SPACES-Vanguard/ Apostolic VSD 6558: Spaces young man deserves better, but fanciers of drifting ensemble colors, with an ultra (Infinite); Rene's Theme; Gloria's Step; Wrong vibrato temper throughout, and much more ts Right; Chris; New Year's Day in Los Angeles. the guitar and/or current pop hits might sense of musical atmosphere than in the Personnel: Coryell, John McLaughlin, guitars; investigate. -Morgenstem Chick Corea, electric piano; Miroslav Vitous, customary leader-with-accompaniment. But bass; Billy Cobham, drums. Lorca is somewhat like an embryo to Rating:*** TIM BUCKLEY Starsailor (likely cut just prior to Buck I suspect that in an intimate club, the ley's move from Elektra to Straight), and music played on this album would appeal LORCA-E_l~ktra EKS-74074: Lorca; Anony mous Propos1t10n; I Had a Talk with My Wom• sounds much less fulfilled: certainly ad much more, at least sound more tangible, an; Driftin': Nobody's Wal kin'. venturesome, but still formative, not at for a sense of immediate energy seems Personnel: Lee Underwood, electric piano, gui tar; . Buckley, 12-string guitar, vocals; John the point of melodic and rhythmic fruition lacking here that would be readily com Balkm, basses, pipe organ· Carter C. C. Collins pensated for in a close listening atmos congas. ' ' of Starsailor, even though it is moving. Truly, to witness lovely ballads like his phere. Yet this is no unusual response Rating: * * * ½ early Once I Was and Moming Glory toward Coryell for me, as I have yet to be STARSAILOR-Straight 1881: Co111e Here very moved by his recordings, although on Wo111an; I Woke Up• Monterey• Mo11lin Ro11ge· and then realize the distance between that SHong_to the. Siren; i11ngle Fire: Starsailor; Th~ style and the moaning, more abstract at this current date is by far the most com ea/mg Festtval; Down by the Borderline. titudes on Starsai/or is quite a shock, pelling sample of his playing I've wit B Personnel, Buzz Gardner, trumpet, llugelhorn; tnk_ Gar~ner, te_nor, alto flute; Lee Underwood, especially when one hears the whining, nessed. :/~tric ~iano, pipe organ, guitar; Buckley, 12- almost laughing scat on Monterey. Of Nevertheless, despite his btilliant com B rikng gudHar, vocals; John Balkin, basses; Maury a er, rums, tympani. course, Buckley has not wholly abandoned pany on this LP, Coryell still seems some how never quite there-an impossible crit Rating: * * * * * his charms as a troubadour, as in the I never did. and still don't dig "folk": petite chanson Moulin Rouge (with savory ical pronouncement, I realize, and yet I do t~at so_rt of guitar-strumming/relevance trumpet accents by Buzz Gardner) or the not believe Coryell has ever wholly ful bit, mam_ly as the music always seemed sighing, self-accompanied Song to a Siren, filled the varied and surely ambitious di t? me virtually gratuitous, just acoustic but has indeed expanded upon his own rections he has attempted. hcks of little moment to accompany the initial sense. Of course, I do admire Coryell for what actual focus in the lyrics. Hyped as the Where at first Buckley offered only a to me seem less than fruitful musical N~w Poetry, many zealous critics and fans somewhat pleasant high-pitched croon, now adventures ( among the earliest attempts ~hke sought in such ditties as Blowin' he has proven himself a consummate vocal at jazz/rock with the Free Spirits and in the Wind every metaphysical/political technician, from shimmering coos on Song Chico Hamilton, among the earliest at ounce, and now and then even used the to a Siren to primitive wailing on Jungle tempts at introducing the guitar to the March 4 D 21 .

Load more