for years: He sweetened, deepened, accen- guished representative of the best of black tuated. pop music should be the man to extend a fa- Among the highlights are Scott's tune, miliar but limited white style. I rush to add "Dirty Old Man"; "Uptown and Country," that this view comes from a reviewer's eye; with slide guitar, harmonica, and other an- Thom Bell is a leader, not a follower, and tics by Hugh McCracken; "Time and Love," there is no one like him in our business. by Ralph MacDonald and Bill Salter: Warwicke's first outing (and hit) with "You're Gonna Need Me," by pianist Rich- Bell was "Then Came Love," in which she ard Tee, who plays it with amazing grace shared the stage with the Spinners, whose along with guitarist Eric Gale on bass and a lead singer deferred to her with the utmost smoking L.A. brass section. graciousness. The Spinners don't need help Scott's last LP for Ode, "Tomcat," was a in making their long string of Bell-inspired hit. Square that and you have the begin- hits. Here at last is Warwicke's own album nings of this. Whether it will hit, only God with Bell at the helm. "Track of the Cat" is and Tiny Tim know for sure, but this is one as well planned and executed as all of his album about which it can be fairly said that others. Warwicke flourishes under strong the music is its own satisfaction. Applause leadership, singing with precision and con- to Scott, Cicalo, and the family. M.A. viction. Several tracks are receiving air play, and all are good. The recording is a prize example of what SUPERTRAMP: Crisis? What Crisis? it is, and that says a great deal for all in- Roger Hodgson, vocals, guitars, and volved. M.A. keyboards; Bob C. Benberg, drums and per- cussion; Dougie Thomson, bass; John An- thony Helliwell, wind instruments and vocals; PAUL WILLIAMS: Ordinary Fool. Paul Richard Davies, vocals and keyboards. Easy Dionne Warwicke Williams, vocals; keyboards, horns, Does It; Sister Moonshine; Ain't Nobody but Flourishing under strong leadership. strings, and rhythm accompaniment. Flash; Me; seven more. [Ken Scott and Supertramp, Lifeboat; Lone Star; seven more. [Paul Wil- prod.] A&M SP 4560, $6.98. Tape: 40 CS liams, prod.] A&M SP 4550, $6.98. Tape: 4560, $7.98; •!. 8T 4560, $7.98. dated faster? Warwicke too lost momen- NO CS 4550, $7.98; •!, 8T 4550, $7.98. tum. There followed a long searching pe- "Crime of the Century," last year's Super- riod for her, testing new material and atti- During the past few years, this elfin, tramp debut LP, brought to these shores the tudes. Every hustling producer in the whimsical, and extremely talented com- music of an English group with a top artis- business was sure he could make her hit poser/performer has succeeded in creating tic and commercial reputation. That disc again, but none did. a slew of hit tunes, while also developing proved an intriguing but uneven demon- Meanwhile back in Philadelphia, Thom for himself a substantial following as a stration of the band's ability to bring to life Bell, a man of low profile and high output, recording and concert artist, film composer. the mundane experiences and far more was producing an endless string of hits for TV personality, and actor. "Ordinary vivid fantasies of a group of prototypical groups such as the Spinners and the Stylis- Fool," Paul Williams' latest recorded out- English youths. However, along with an tics. (His excellent song-writing partner is ing. will not only please those fans, but in- American tour last winter, it won the rock Linda Creed.) Nobody understands the evitably win him more. quintet a goodly number of devoted fans. record medium or pop-r&b-crossover song- The disc contains nine compositions, in- "Crisis? What Crisis?," the follow-up LP. writing any better than Bell. Many of his cluding "Lonely Hearts," the theme from will solidify Supertramp's reputation. It is a songs bear a resemblance to Bacharach-Da- Day of the Locust: "Old Souls" from Phan- totally entrancing recording that puts on vid material. It is as if he caught the es- tom of the Paradise: and "Ordinary Fool," display dazzling virtuosity accompanied by sence-the catchiness-but loosened the which will be heard in the forthcoming honest musicianship. All of the numbers rigid time concepts. There is no dancing to Bugsy Malone. Six of the songs were writ- are composed by group members Roger Bacharach, and record buyers like to dance. ten by Williams alone, three with partners. Hodgson and Richard Davies, but each is Thus the irony-that this longtime dist in- Each is a carefully produced and well-sung written in a different style. Folk rock rubs shoulders with electric rock blues, and bal- lads exist side by side with rock anthems. With provocative lyrics and a gift for mel- ody, Supertramp has been able to create a disc to be enjoyed as well as analyzed. The mind reels-and in this case it's a sensation that one will find thoroughly delightful. H.E. ce The best pop records reviewed in recent months DIONNE WARWICKE: Track of the Cat. Dionne Warwicke, vocals; rhythm, AMERICA: History. WARNER BROS BS 2894 Feb strings, horns, and vocal accompaniment ar- BILL BLACK'S COMBO FEATURING BOB TUCKER: The World's Greatest ranged by Thom Bell. His House and Me: Honky-Tonk Band Hi /LorsiooN SHL 32093. Jan. Jealousy; Once You Hit the Road; five more. CLAUDE BOLLING: Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano.CoLumeiA M 33233 Dec [Thom Bell, prod.] WARNER BROS. BS 2893, BLOSSOM DEARIE 1975. DAFFODIL BMD 102 Jan $6.98. Tape: 411 M5P 2893, $7.97; M8P STEPHANE GRAPPELLI. PYE 12115. Jan. 2893, $7.97. STEVE KUHN: Trance. ECM 1052. Feb. BARRY MANILOW: Tryin' to Get the Feeling. ARISTA AL 4060. Feb. I listen to this album, and I hear irony. FREDA PAYNE: Out of Payne Comes Love. ABC ABCD 901. Feb. Dionne Warwicke, as we all know, became Miku5s HOZSA CONDUCTS HIS GREAT FILM MUSIC. POLYDOR SUPER 2383 famous alongside Burt Bacharach and Hal 327 Jan David, functioning brilliantly as their demo TINA TURNER: Acid Queen. UNITED ARTISTS LA 495G. Dec. singer. She did other things well, but her Fars WALLER: The Complete Fats Waller: Vol. 1,1934-35. RCA BLUEBIRD real impact was her purity with their songs. AXM 2-5511. Feb. Time passed. The charming tightness of Tim WEISBERG: Listen to the City. A&M SP 4545. Dec. the Bacharach/David style lost favor. In- deed, what major force in pop music ever MARCH 1976 105 .