The levels on which Franklin sings this time are quickly established on the first track of each side. Side 1 begins with her successful single, "Mr. D.J.," which she wrote; Side begins2 with "Without You" — much energy, little song. The album was cut on the West Coast with arranger Gene Page, currently best known for his work The best pop records reviewed in recent months with Barry White, though he was a heavy worker for many years before the Barry BILL BLACK'S COMBO FEATURING BOB TUCKER: The World's Greatest White period. He is solida and supportive Honky-Tonk Band. Hi LONDON SHL 32093. Jan. arranger, and he brought in a dependably funky rhythm section including David T. CLAUDE BOLLING: Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano.CoLumBIA M 33233. Dec. Walker, Ray Parker, Clarence McDonald, A CHORUS LINE. COLUMBIA PS 33581. Nov. Scott Edwards, and Ed Greene. Also fea- ROGER DALTREY: Ride a Rock Horse. MCA 2147. Nov. tured is Aretha's angel choir: Margaret Branch, Brenda Bryant, and Pam Vincent BLOSSOM DEARIE 1975. DAFFODIL BMD 102. Jan. (with Cissy Houston too). The stage is set; STEPHANE GRAPPELLI. PYE 12115. Jan. here comes Aretha, strong and focused, JACKIE MCLEAN: Jackknife. BLUE NOTE LA 457H2 Nov. sweetly abandoned. And yet something is wrong. Aretha just MIKLOS ROZSA CONDUCTS His GREAT FILM MUSIC. POLYDOR SUPER 2383 rubs her magic on, no matter what the qual- 327 Jan ity or intent of the song. I guess that's called CECIL TAYLOR: In Transition. BLUE NOTE LA 458H2. N OV. professionalism, but the magic is so port- TINA TURNER: Acid Queen. UNITED ARTISTS LA 495G. Dec. able, so packageable. The album is stingy with real material—presumably a conces- TIM Weisseito: Listen to the City. A&M SP 4545. Dec. sion to "commercial reality." There are LESTER YOUNG: The Aladdin Sessions. BLUE NOTE LA 456H2 Nov. only two outstanding songs: Aretha's "Mr. D.J." and Van McCoy's "Walk Softly" ("Now that I've cried my love to sleep, don't known song, "Needles and Pins," leads off rousing melody has characterized the wake it up -). The rest are automatic, stale, this collection, but its version of the fairly group's career from its very beginning. This dull, corny, and full of lies. obscure Rolling Stones tune "Take It or trio, all of whose members sing, play, and 1 could listen to Aretha Franklin sing a Leave It" is worth noting. M.J. write, also has the ability to create pleasing dial tone. But followsit naturally: The more lyrics dealing with love—found, lost, anc the song, the more the singer. We're ready unrequited. Then, too, these are three har- when you (Franklin? Jerry Wexler? Atlantic AMERICA: History (America's Great- monious, plaintive voices. The result is un- Records?) are. M.A. est Hits). America, vocals, keyboards, beatable. To ice this agreeable cake, add guitars, and bass; strings, rhythm, and vocal George Martin's clean, crisp, energetic pro- accompaniment. A Horse with No Name; I duction, in a class by itself. DONOVAN. Donovan Leitch, guitar and vo- Need You; Ventura Highway; nine more. Ranging from the merely pleasant ("Only cals; instrumental accompaniment. Universal [George Martin, prod.] WARNER BROS. BS in Your Heart") to the truly moving ("Sister Soldier; Colours; Catch the Wind; Donna 2894, $6.98. Tape:f M 52894, $7.97; 01,M Golden Hair" and "Lonely People"), Amer- Donna; Sunny Goodge Street; seven more. 82894, $7.97. ica demonstrates that over four years it has PYE 502, $6.98. produced music that is essentially the THE SEARCHERS. Tony Jackson, bass and vo- Part of the enjoyment of most "greatest same. The group has not progressed; it has cals; Chris Curtis, drums; John McNally, gui- hits" collections is the opportunity to trace not regressed. It has consistently used its tar; Mike Pender, guitar. Needles and Pins; the evolution of the artist's work in the con- own successful formula, and the formula Don't Throw Your Love Away; Take It or centrated form of singlea LP. In the case of still works. When you have winner,a why Leave It; Love Potion Number Nine; eight America, "History" demonstrates that look for variations? H.E. more. [Tony Hatch, prod.] PYE 501, $6.98.

Pye Records is a major British label that, like most British labels, would like to make a mark in the U.S. Its most recent effort is a reissue series titled "The Pye History of British Pop Music," which provides exam- ples of the music of the pop groups in- volved in the so-called "British invasion" that occurred in the wake of the Beatles' American debut in 1964. Donovan and the Searchers were majora part of that invasion. Donovan's mark was made in terms of modified folk music, while the Searchers dealt in what was, a decade ago, fairly standard British rock. Both of these albums are valuable to those inter- ested in the pop music of the 1960s. The 1950s have long since been ground up by the nostalgia mill, and now it is time to remi- nisce over what seemed to be, in the words of the Seven-Up commercial, "a time of agonizing reappraisal." The Donovan LP is fairly representative of his early recordings, with his original version of "Catch the Wind" shining through. The Searchers' popularity did not last as long as did Donovan's, yet the band produced some pretty music. Its best - America—a winning combination of talents

FEBRUARY 1976 119