PAGE 6, RETRIEVER 1 MARCH 1976 Records For Takeoff" and Catherine's "Angel Wings" fill the second side and each churns and smokes. On "Jadoo" in par­ ticular, Doldinger and Catherine tear A SELECTION along with impeccable precision at breakneck speed. Doldinger, Passport and guests sound much like Tom Scott and his L.A. Express ... but about ten times gutsier. OF PRESENT-DAY This is iazz-rock ;)t. its best. Inner Worlds -John McLaughlin PLATTERS and Mahavishnu Orchestra By Elias Lieberman Eric Carmen It's when the smokin' and the heat Have got your heart poundin' right with The rock press carried the story, ·£ric Carmen the beat recently, of John McLaughlin's split with Bv Glenn ISi!acson Don't try to fight it his spiritual guru Sri Chinmoy. Just get excited McLaughlin, it seems, was ready to re­ Poor Eric Carmen. Ever since his group That's Rock 'N Roll. explore the material world. And now, a Raspberries broke up, he's been terribly (copyright 1975 by C.A.M.-U.S.A. few months later, we have the new jespondent and.quite bitter about the way (BM!)) McLaughlin- slightly commercial, t ended. His love life has become a All in all, Eric Carmen is a pleasure to somewhat funky and still an incomparab~e ;hambles, and he's living all alone in a listen to. The major change one notices is master of the guitar. ~onstant state of depression. He's thinking that his sound no longer has the rough edge The Mahavishnu Orchestra is the name )f legally changing his name to Eric that Rasberries had. It is now smoother of McLaughlin's ever-changing band and it :"onely Carmen. The only thing that cheers with much fuller, more elaborate, presently consists of Narade Michael lim up is good old rock 'n roll. ' arrangements. To those who really ap­ Walden on drums, percussion and lead At least, that is the impression one gets preciated Rasberries for what they were, vocals, Ralphe Armstrong on bass and Stu Nhen listening to the lyrics on his new this will be a disappointment. But Carmen Goldberg on keyooards and synthesizers. album Eric Carmen. This album is about is apparently taking the direction he wants All in all it's an exciting album, rein­ :"oneliness, and Carmen seems to have to take, still drawing his inspiration from troducing McLaughlin to the mainstream 'ecently become an authority on the the sixties but utilizing advanced of both commercial and progressive ;ubject. But one gets quite a different techniques of the seventies. With his music. The album was calculated to win mpression of him when reading a recent fantastic voice, his ability to play lots of him new ears without compromising his nterview in Circus. The article says that different instruments, and his skill at musical integrity. Now if he would only :::armen looks back at Raspberries and he songwriting that just seems to keep getting form that all-acoustic group he's been 'chuckles." He comes across as cheerful better and better, Carmen is undoubtedly talking about. .. -Nith a sharp wit and a slight air of going to emerge as a pop music genius. Fast Annie lrrogance. He does not seem to be a man And to think I felt sorry for this guy. Nho is unhappy or insecure about -Annie McLoone :mything. This can either mean that he is putting By Elias Lieberman .lp a front for the interviewer or that his ::tlbum lyrics are fabricated and therefore She was born in Minnesota, paid her valueless, as were many of his Rasberries musical dues in the clubs and bars of lyrics. I conclude the latter - these lyrics Washington and Boston, fronted a band are polished, slightly remodeled cliches. called Sageworth and her name is Annie Realizing this, I am disappointed and a McLoone, What's so special? Annie's little angry. I could identify with these debut album, "Fast Annie", proves lyrics of loneliness. I wanted so badly to beyond a doubt that she has a voice to believe the man. I even felt sorry for him. I reckon with. It invites comparison to the hoped his album would be a success so that likes of Linda Ronstadt and particularly to maybe he'd be happy. Fleetwood Mac's Christine McVie. But if Okay, forget about the lyrics. If you can Annie is smart she'll shop around for a new do that, you are well on your way to en­ band. Her backing on the album is little joying this first solo effort from Carmen. more than adequate. It's alright for the Because Eric Carmen is a startlingly bar circuit but it isn't capable of inspiring excellent singer, an accomplished Run With The Pack her to the heights her voice could take her. musician, and a great composer. His style, Of Annie's own compositions, "I Want as it was on his critically acclaimed last -Bad Company You" is the strongest, its melody setting Rasberries LP Starting Over, is strongly By Elias Lieberman off her range nicely. Jimmy Cliff's "The influenced by mid-60's rock 'n roll of Harder They Fall" is butchered. Its groups like the Beatles, the Beach Boys, reggae essence is simply ignored and that and the Who. Carmen is not so much into Bad Company is an example to which is tantamount to murder for a song like Station to Station reviVing the music of the time as he is into every intelligent rock group should aspire. that. Listen to Annie's version of Christine using it as the basis for his compositions They possess a secret that sets them McVie's "Spare Me a Little of Your -David Bowie and refining them with Seventies . worlds apart from would-be rockers. That Love." The delivery is great, quite close to Mick Evans pr¢uction work. As Billboard magazine secret is powerful, charismatic simplicity. McVie herself, but Annie's band is no By said, "The · boy knows where his roots Simply stated, "Run With The Pack" is Fleetwood Mac. are." their latest and finest release to date. If RCA is smart they will take Annie On brave notes I tripped back "All By Myself" is the smash single To my ears, lead singer Paul Rodgers McLoone and match her up with some and- from this album, and in the uncut five has the perfect rock voice-evocative, musicians who can give her the backing forth (from Station to Station) minute version it features a great piano sensuous and ever-so-slightly raw. When her voice so richly deserves. and joined the Bowie lines. solo by Carmen. He is vocally at his best on he couples it to compositions penned by this song, sounding like, but much better' himself and guitarist Michael Ralphs . "He's a mothefuckin' faggot." than Paul McCartney, and exhibiting a there's no stopping him. But Bad Company Doldinger Jubilee 75' A freak to be sure-- range most rock singers can only talk is most definitely the sum of its parts. Like to ignore. ,about. Rodgers and Ralphs, drummer Simon ,Klaus Doldinger "Sunrise" is the dynamic three-part Kirke and bassist Boz Burrell realize Then 'Song that begins the album. It opens with a that as Rodgers puts it, "It's what you Bv Elias Lieberman from the back of Lennon's lungs (where gentle symphonic string arrangement, don't play that lets the music get things are hollow) explodes into an upempo poprocker, and across." Rodgers was the driving Klaus Doldinger is the saxophonist and came THE primal scream. (this one made ends with an Elton John-type piano and I force and the voice behind the British leader of a European jazz group which the radio wince) electric guitar rock arrangement. group Feee, whose "Alright Now" is a calls itself Passport. Now in its fifth year Out of the bag, "No Hard Feelings" is adriving, frantic rock classic. Bad Company are heirs to and its eighth album, the group has h.e stepped forth to lay claim to Jim rocker that tells the story of the that venerable tradition. recently been gaining an American Morrison's ghost. Rasberries break up. The song begins "We "Run With The Pack" offers a well­ following. "Jubilee 75" is a live-in-concert (poor Otis-- dead and gone) was young, and still believed in a 'Hard differentiated collection of songs. Rockers album recorded in Germany, a tour-de­ Day's Night' ... " "Never Gonna Fall In include "Honey Child" and the title track force effort for Doldinger and guests. On Is it any wonder I reject him first? Love Again, " his next single, is very with its uncluttered beat and string­ the tour during which the album was Faggot-fear erased, I mourn with the pretty, very sweet, very Carpenters. "My enhanced refrain at the end. "Love Me recorded, Doldinger was joined by jazz golden years. Girl" is a delightful pop song that souns, Somebody," a ballad, demonstrates pianist Les McCann, saxophonist Johnny not accidentally, very much like the Beach Rodger's acknowledged debt to Otis Griffin, French guitarist Philipe Catherine Who is this chameleon that dares me to Boys. Carmen does an excellent version of Redding and Wilson Pickett, masters of and' Chicago bluesmaster Buddy Guy. confront his poly-angled knife? the old hit, "On Broadway," the only track rhythm arid blues vocals. "Silver, Blue Les McCann's classic "Compared To Creeping through all the acne and he didn't write. "Everything" is a biting and Gold," similar in feeling to "Feel Like What" opens the album and it cooks from weather, comment on rock stardom.