PEW TRENDS Michael Delaney
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RECOR DINGS... REVIE WER PEW TRENDS Michael Delaney. a genuine love for the current is immaterial. possible without debasing the current Top No matter what the Byrds happen to record 40 status. The group is commercial — — you can bet that it'll turn out as darned immediate melody backed by competent near perfect every time. performance. Their appeal is that enjoyed This is much the case with album No. 12 — by the average stateside chart outfit. a fine bunch of songs collectively tagged Recognition is transitory. This Canadian "Byrd-maniax". They've progressed further team suffers from a somewhat nondescript away from straight country in an effort to character. They lack definition. Five Man show the composite personalities behind the Electrical Band tends to over-react. There 'group' sound. McGuinn contributes "Pale seems to be very little sense of dynamic Blue", "I Trust" and the haunting contrast outside the occasional rhythm "Kathleen's Song". He follows a less rigid interplay. regard for style and thus loses that harshness The influences range between so apparent on the last three albums. He country-blues and funky gospel. They play seems satisfied with odd little ballads. amorphous rock'n'roll centred on staccato Clarence White & Gene Parsons give us a guitar riffs and heaving keyboard. "Signs", rollicking instrumental by the name "Green "Swamp Woman" and "Butterfly" promise Apple Quick Step", whilst Skip Battin a technical standard that is otherwise HIGH TIME MC5 Stereo. SD. 8285 comes along with the lyrical "Absolute unattained. "Safe & Sound" is reminiscent MC5 is a volume band — yet another Happiness" and "Tunnel Of Love". Needless of a poor man's Three Dog Night. The to say, it's all still there: the harmonies — example of the American noise machine remainder of the material draws varying along similar lines to The Amboy Dukes and fourths, fifths; the double guitar solos and degrees of comparison with either The Stooges. They're loud, repetitive and the contrapuntal bass. The Byrds have Creedence Clearwater Revival or The Band. moved passed the stage where they could ultimately monotonous. This Detroit This group requires a pronounced quintet bases its entire impact on the near ever lose these basic requisites. direction. They have a sensitivity and flow "Byrdmaniax" transcends much of the malefic energy levels. Their approach is raw, that is wasted due to the lack of positive offel thrown together under the guise of undisciplined and cliched-beyond-compare. goals. Five Man Electrical Band can be quite rock'n'roll. Each song possesses a glowing They seem to hold a great deal in common compelling once they realize the effect of melody continually under-played. There's with the old Blue Cheer circa '68 as far as relative approach. Each member is an little need for production gyro-gymnastics basic structure is concerned. Melody is accomplished musician and vocalist. Les to heighten the sound. The Byrds play the incidental. Emmerson — leader & chief songscribe — whole thing with very few trappings other MC5 demand complete physical possesses a natural skill with arrangement than the occassional string section. The involvement very much in the vein of Grand and presentation that could well prove to be album generates an incredibly close, if not Funk Railroad. Their music is an awkward the one major strength behind continued intimate atmosphere that carries throughout mixture of riff-rhythms and cacophonous disc success. The over-all sound is clever. every track. Listen to the trad-country The band manages to avoid most of the old drums —rock'n'roll at its most destructive. heartache within "My Destiny". Compare it They rely heavily on feedback and studio cliches that haunt all forms of semi-religious to the soaring vocal climaxes and the general rock. They have developed an articulate dynamics to generate atmosphere. MC5 sense of order in quality of "Byrdmaniax". nucleus that needs to be expanded. sound amateurish. There's an absolute lack The mix is quite exceptional as is the of unity, balance and inspiration throughout Emmerson has a way with time changes engineering. Everything has been completed each of the eight tracks. It's all too brash that rarely fails to intensify both mood and in moderation. This cannot help but and luck-lustre. They appear to be excitement. He uses the guitar/keyboard complement the subtlety of the band. The hopelessly encased within sheer section in a series of fat, chunky bursts to Byrds continue in their role as the amplification. illustrate the various themes. He's quite an elder-statesmen of American rock'n'roll. — MC5 rate as the most unadventurous hype ingenious guy. Production could be better. M.D. yet to emerge from the Kinney stable. Separation is poor. — M.D. They're hustlers without style or variation. "ISLE OF WIGHT" Stereo. polydor. Over & Over and Sister Anne barely 2310.139. highlight the disc. Production is lifeless. Jimi Hendrix was a star — the freak Fred Smith, Wayne Kramer and friends guitarist complete with spangled pose and remain the stateside masters of mediocrity. gimmick. He tried to give the kids a glimpse Their 'kick-out-the-jam' promotion key into the basic allure centred on rock'n'roll. never quite made the grade. Bad news. It was really quite straightforward. Jimi M.D. Hendrix had style. He reintroduced animal instinct. It was all a matter of image versus appeal. He possessed charisma. This was • "BYRDMANIAX" — The Byrds, Stereo. something worthwhile for the kids to SBP. 234000. scream about. He wasn't the boy-next-door. You've really got to hand it to the Byrds. It was showmanship and the art of Despite innumerable changes in both line-up suggestion. and direction they have always managed to Hendrix was a super-star. He believed in retain their central character. This band his music. It was melodramatic and refuses to compromise on any level. They high-camp; outrageous and unpredictable. are innovators. Their music is so good He had to become a cultist hero. His mainly because the Byrds as individuals are "SIGNS" MGM Stereo. FXLP. 2315.060 instrumental agility was breathtaking. This so good. You don't come across something Five Man Electrical Band adheres to was the essence of modern theatre — like this very often. Whether your convention. They're strictly entertainers. extravagant; ultra physical. Hendrix rapidly admiration is based partially on nostalgia or They try to cultivate as broad a market as developed into his own musical paradox. ELECTRONICS TODAY — MARCH 1972 111 .