Merry Melodies For X-mas

By Bernie Russell "Commodores-Live!_" (Motown) - "Hope" (Capitol) Klaatu - strange, The Christmas season has tradition­ This two record set is a document of the even wiered, are to words that best ally been the t~me when record Commodores' recent forty-nine city U.S. describe the newest album by · Capitol's companies step up the releases by their tour, the most successful ever given by a mystery group (no, they aren't the more popular artists and this year is no black group. Listening to "Commo­ Beatles). "Hope" is an album with a big exception. Here is a short list of albums dores-Live$" it is easy to see-why they science fiction story to tell. A civilization by some already famous and up-and­ are so popular. The Commodores are an on a planet named Politzania gets too coming personalities that are currently extremely versatile group, doing Ohio smart for its own good and winds up in circulation. Players-style funk ("Brick House"), destroying itself. The only survivor, a *** Fifties style love ballads ("Just To Be lighthouse keeper, rides across the ''April Wine Live At The El Close To You''), as well as tunes that universe on a lazer beam spreading a Mocambo" (London)_ - April Wine, a redefine the term "soul music" message of one word, "Hope." The Canadian group, was the opening act for (S"Sweet Love," "Easy"). With a problem with this record is jt completely the Rolling Stones when they appeared _ tremendous output of energy, the resists casual listening. Without the at the El Mocambo Club in Ontario. This Commodores whip up audience enthus­ lyrics on the album jacket right there to album is a recording of that perfor­ iasm by keeping a running dialogue with explain what is happening in the story, manc~. As an opening act April Wine is it before and often during numbers (''I the listener used to Top 40 and even FM sensational; as a solo group they are think that all the bad brick houses are on sounds will be shocked and finally pretty good. On Side One April Wine this side of the hall tonight!"). The mood repulsed by the bi~arre music on sounds like a high-volume Firefall, while is upbeat; the music, lively and the "Hope" (such treats as sudden classical on Side Two they have more of a heavy performance, energetic. "Commodores­ music, songs sung through an old-time metal sound like Fogcat. The songs Live! '' is everything A live album should gramophone, and noises sounding like range from average to very good and the be. they were made by "Star Wars"' R2D2, melodies are surprisingly catchy consid­ ••• among others). "Hope" is recommend­ ering the many electric guitars that are Rod Stewart "Point of Know Return"~CBS) ed to only the most avid science fiction playing them. April Wine worked hard at Kansas "Point of Know Return" is fans. the El Mocambo and the result is a Kansas' very improvised follow-up to associated with ·Stewart since ''Maggie descent album for hard rock fans. ••• last year's very successful "Leftover­ "Foot Loose & Fancy Free" (Warner May'' of several years back. People who *** tore" album. There is more emphasis on - Rod Stewart - Rod Stewart, the king of think of Rod Stewart as a second-rate "Beatles' Love Songs" (Capitol) Robby Steinhardt's violin in "Point of the double-entendre, is back with a new musician who rose to fame by singing Beatlemania is reaching fever pitcp - Know Return" than in "Leftoverture," album that is nothing short of excellent. dirty songs and romancing Brit Ekland again - and Capitol records is r~sponding as a result the music on the new album Stewart has surrounded himself with a ought to listen to ''Foot Loose & Fancy to it - again - with re-releases of old has a thinner sound. Kansas has crack group of musicians that he.puts to Free;'' it willmake the biggest Stewart Beatie hits. The newest anthology is borrowed much musically from the terrific use with a wide variety of music cynics reconsider their opinions. '' Beathles' Love Songs,'' a beautifully Who's "Tommy," with parts of songs including country, torchy, Motown, ••• packaged (a golden reproduction of a often sounding like they were lifted Eastern, and Sixties rock. There are no ALSO: photo of the group on an imitation completely from that rock opera. The boviously smutty songs like "Tonight's There are greatest hits albums leather cover) two record set of romantic vast amolint of improvising on this The Night'' on ''Foot Loose & Fancy currently in release by the Captain and songs by the Beatles. Most of the tunes album is · made interesting, yften Free'' and Stewart-has to be admired for Tennille (A&M), Hot Chocolate (Big . are from the "Early Beatles," period striking, by the clever interplay of.· the not trying to get another hit album ''the Tree), Olivia Newton-John (MCA), Roxy 1964-1965, including "Yesterday," many instruments Kansas uses. How­ easy way'' by capitalizing o~ racisness. Music (Atlantic), Neil Sedaka (Rocket), "Michelle," and "P.S. I Love You." ever, all of that improvising tends_to _ruin All of the tracks on this album are Tavares (Capitol,) Paul Simon (CBS), ZZ "She's Leaving Home" from "Sgt. a song's tune and "Point of Know performed with an energy and gusto that Top (Atlantic) and the late Bing Cros'ly· Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'', is Return'' gets· a bit tedious toward the average radio listeners have not (MCA). also included here although it is not a end as one cut starts to sound just like love song of the "boy meets girl" type. another. l_{ansas has to be admired for All of the tracks on "Beatles' Love doing music that is really different and Songs" are very well preserved; few managing to become so popular at the sound dated; all sound classy. "Beatles' same time. unfortunately, in ''Point of Heroes: A Winner Love Songs'' is a must for any Beatie Know Return" they are trying to be too cultist. different. By Judy- Theroux inherited from four years in Vietnam. *** ••• It somehow seems inappropriate for a There are traces of "The Fonz" here and film · critic to give favorable, if not there, but overall Winkler displays much fabulous reviews to four films in a row. talent and sensitivity. After a while it seems necessary to go Sally Field, who recently began to get and see a movie that you are absolutely serious attention when she starred in tlie sure you won't like, just to keep the T.V. movie Sybil, gives a performance b~ce (and the critical soul intact). I that again shows her to be a very good confess here that this was my primary actress. motivation for seeing Heroes. . Although the story of the tragic But my theory backfired. Heroes Vietnam Vet is certainly not new, Heroes turned out to be a surprisingly enjoyable is put together in a way that makes the movie, and still another favorable plot a lot less tiresome. We are review. unfortunately well acquainted with the Heroes is a comedy-drama about, a theme of the ''Crazy'' scarred young vet Vietnam veteran, played ·by Henry living off dreams and violent memories Winkler, who has noble dreams of of war and death, who must inevitably setting up a worm farm in the west with face his own inward pain and anger. his army buddies. We meet him just as Heroes accomplishes this motif with tact he enters an Army Recruiting office and and humor. disrupts a group of young men who are listening to a romantic lect\ll'e on the glories of Armed service.When attacks the speaker, we quickly learn that this Vet is not one to march proudly in Veterans Day parades. Th~ police come and return him to his hospital ward, where he visits his .friends, most of whom are in wheel ·chairs, picks up his box of prize worms, and escapes. He meets Carol, played by Sally Field, in a bus station. She is e~caping marriage. 1 hey team up and the film unravels to become a touching, if simple, love story, and another "Vietnam" tragedy, almost overdone, but not quite. Henry Winkler is macho ~bugh to carry the role of typical war veteran, and sensitive enough to display the emotional scars the character has Fields and Winkler