MUSIC WEEK MARCH 25, 1978

0 D P. n D K JOHNTAVENER ROBERT GORDON and The Whale. Ring o' Records 2320 LINK VVRAY 104. Producer: Michael Bremner. Fresh Fish Special. Private Stock This is Tavcner's fantasy on the PVLP 1038. Producers: Richard Biblical allegory of Jonah and the Gottehrer and Robert Gordon. This Albums of the week Whale, with the London Sinfonietta duo from the States caused apparently playing everything considerable reaction on their recent including the kitchen sink in European tour. Solid rock 'n' roll, passages and mezzo Anna Reynolds with Gordon often sounding like and baritone Raimund Herincx, plus early Elvis. In the world of rock Alvar Lidell delivering interesting guitarists, VVray has become facts about the whale species at the something of a legend with his start of Side 2. Tavener plays organ own distinctive, always loud, I ' . and Hammond organ, and the style. Included on this album is album is an intricate, complex Gordon's latest single, the Bruce *3^ proposition quite likely to interest Springstein tune, Fire. your contemporary classics freaks but no one else. BETHNAL Dangerous Time. Vertigo 9102 020. Marketed by Phonogram. Produced QUANTUM JUMP by Kenny Laguna. One of the belter Quantum Jump. Electric TRIX 1. bands to emerge from IQTT's 'New Barracuda. Electric TRIX 3. Both Wave'. Energetic, liverly rock albums produced by Rupert Hine. centred around the electric violin A Two re-releases from the Cube and lead vocals of George Csapo. , m Electric catalogue. Note that Cube Includes current single We've Gotta Electric product is now available Get Out Of This Place. A mammoth through Pye. Powerful rock band campaign for the album is in process who have yet to really make it into BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS the big lime. New product hoped for 4**at present. JEFFERSON STARSHIP Kaya. Island 1LPS 9517. Producer: Artists. With reggae later this year. 00 Earth. Grunt FL 12515. (RCA). Produced by Larry Cox currently in greater commercial favour than for some EncountersWE Of Every Kind.■ RCA and Jefferson Starship. First album for some lime from years back, and Marlcy probably its most consistently XL 13050. Producers: Various. the San Francisco outfit headed by Grace Slick. With commercial exponent, this LP would be a surprise AMANDA LEAR Follow-up to the Star Wars And the announcement that the band are to headline this failure. But there are no surprises on the album, just the I Am A Photograph. Ariola ARE Other Galactic Funk LP, and year's Kncbworlh festival, much interest has been usual smooth classy playing and vocals, with the 5002. Producer: Anthony Monn. probably not as good in musical regenerated in Starship (formerly Jefferson Airplane). insistent, hypnotic, reggae beat and semi-mystical lyrics Imagine Marlene Dietrich content. This obviously cashes in on Includes current single. Count On Me and eight other (nearly every one with a strong hook, as is Marley's performing in a slightly disco the Close Encounters film, and tracks. Strong promotion campaign from RCA. wont). London-weighted promotion but a sure big seller manner, and you have an idea of heavy publicity for that will be in every urban area. Should follow other Marley LPs what Amanda Lear is all about. beneficial to the album. Theme into the charts. On the Continent she is one of the From Close Encounters has been biggest record sellers and has had receiving heavy Radio 2 airplay, and two massive hits with Blood And discotheques are also playing an THE WHISTLEBINKIES Honey and Queen Of China Town, important part in promotion. the usual pot-pourri of love songs included here. She also includes on *** and slight tongue-in-cheek material. ©CHART CERTAINTY Claddagh CC22. Producer: John The French singer is making concert Wood. With a name likely to sound the LP Blue Tango, I Am A SLIM WHITMAN and tv appearances after Easier, and Sales potential within whimsical to all but the brawest of Photograph and These Boots Were respective market Scots (although its derivation is Made For Walking. Exposure will I'll Take You Home Again has always been a consistent album be important but discos have Kathleen. Pickwick SHM 959. Older seller, so expect some consumer *** Good nicely explained of the excellent, and recordings by Whitman, who has interest in this. In addition MAM very full, sleeve notes) this band is in already been showing interest in proved his sustained record selling has mounted a meet-Charles- ** Fair fact anything but whimsically Miss Lear's recordings — stock power via his last three United Aznavour consumer campaign * Poor folksy. Strong on skill and accordingly. Artists albums. Tracks here include incentive. traditional flair it is a bothy band of Hi Lili Hi Lo, 1 Remember You, *** pipes, flutes, fiddle, drumsand Blueberry Hill and the title track. A melody as well as the voices — performing Scottish air budget album which should do FRANKIE LAINE improvisations, but it is an and songs with infectious immensely well. American Legend — 16 Greatest important job, so perhaps it's cheerfulness. Folk fans deserve a Hits. CBS 31599. A mid-price advisable lo cherchez le customer. chance to buy it. Embassy release featuring Laine's *** FRANKIE LAINE major hits of the Fifties, 1 Believe, Life Is Beautiful. Polydor 2383 488. Jezebel, Jealousy, Moonlight MANHATTANS THE GLADIATORS Producer: Ken Barnes. Laine is Gambler. High Noon and Rawhide, There's No Good In Goodbye. CBS Proverbial reggae. FL 1002. enjoying a resurgence of popularity padded out with other, lesser-known 82567. Producers: Bobby Martin Producer: Tony Robinson. This is in the UK and his re-packaged recordings. Good value though for and the Manhattans. There is always reggae's answer to easy listening, recordings have enjoyed consistent his many fans, and his forthcoming a good market for product such as with all the necessary bass-heavy success; this Polydor LP was concert tour will help sales this, and the Manhattans should rhythm on every track. It is a very recorded in London last year and considerably. enjoy fair sales with their latest well-known band in its own field but features the first new recordings by album. Songs include the title track. hard for any but the committed fan the singer for several years, Am I Losing You, Goodbye Is The to judge artistically. Sounds good, disregarding his re-recorded hits RICHIE KAMUCA QUARTET Saddest Word and Everybody Has A but indistinguishable overall from album last year. Tracks include the Richie. Concord Jazz CJ-41 Dream. Good background music (available through Jazz Services other slick, well-produced new single, Send In The Clowns, and not unlike the Stylistics' music examples of commercial black Chi Collrane Evergreen and If I Never Sing unlimited, 66 West Street, Sowerby in some pans. music. Excellent vocals. Another Song. Laine arrives soon Bridge, Yorks HX6 3AP). Producer: CHI COLTRANE for a major UK concert and cabaret Richie Kamuca. Kamuca died last Road To Tomorrow. TK Records tour, and will also be making tv year well short of his three score VASSAR CLEMENTS MAZE featuring Frankie Beverly. TKR 82501. Distributed by CBS. appearances. years and 10, but this is a warm and The Bluegrass Session. Flying Fish. Golden Time Of Day. Capitol E-ST Producer: Peter Bernstein. Third *** impressive legacy of a fluent and SNTF 748. This is vintage bluegrass 11710. Produced by Frankie Beverley. album from singer songwriter accomplished tenor-saxist. Mundell from a master fiddler and full back- Big American success story in 1977 likened to Roberta Flack, Carole CHARLES AZNAVOUR Lowe's guitar adds smooth support up band. Bluegrass is not currently — By the end of the year, their first King and Nina Simone by US critics. Esquire. MAM MAMS 1006. and some finely constructed solos in in vogue but there is always a market album, Maze, had been in the charts Very melodic songs. Very easy to Producer: Charles Calello. some memorable workouts on I for the big names in any field, and for ten months. To date it has sold listen to. Not a well-known name Aznavour's first release since Concentrate On You, Say It Isn't So Clements is one of them. 850,000 copies. This new LP is over here, though she deserves to leaving Barclay, and also his first LP and Flying Down To Rio amongst Impressive musicianship and tunes quality soul music, at limes soft and make it with material of this class. for some 18 months. The recordings others. A good stock bet if you have like Reno Shuffle, Swingin' Low, gentle, at time more uptempo. were made in London and includes jazz customers who like to here the and Stompin' Grazz make it worth Top tracks; One Man Woman and consideration for American music Certain to do well in the discos. Road To Tomorrow. browsers.

Golden Nat King Cole VARIOUS Shut Down. Capitol CAPS 1018. Contemporary Clark NAT KING COLE Music from the soundtrack of a film 20 Golden Greats. Capitol about Santa Pod drag raceway, and PETULA CLARK EMTV9. Compiler: Chris Ellis. A the titles are all Sixties pop ballad or Destiny. CBS 82608. Producer: treasure-trove of recordings by the surfing numbers from groups such Tony Eyers. First new album from late much-loved Cole which will as the Surfaris, the Beach Boys and the singer for about two years, and doubtlessly be a huge seller, both the Chamays, with other less the first under her current deal with in the long and short term. It familiar (to the UK) artists like the CBS. Producer Eyers has managed includes all his major hits — When Ghouls, The Knights and the to present her in a more I Fall In Love, Let There Be Love, Super Slocks. Relentlessly cheerful, contemporary mood than her past Ramblin' Rose, etc — and with the lightweight and mostly meaningless offerings — material includes the m promotion behind it, is destined to songs interspersed with stereo pan disco-flavoured I'm Not In Love be one of the big albums of 1978. sound effects of racing cars. (which received n lot of regional It follows closely the LRD's Nostalgia sales potential for this airplay when issued as a single), If EMTV album featuring Buddy much re-released slice of US pop You Leave Me Now and Put A Little Holly but the difference in the (e.g. two relatively recent Beach Sunbeam In Your Life, the theme musical content will not detract Boys hits compilations) must be from the Chrysler tv adverts. Miss airplay should help from cither's sales. dwindling — but worth slocking this Clark recently starred in her own tv LP to test size of remaining demand. special and the frequent radio sales.

PAGE 86