REVI EWS ALBUM REVIEWS ELVIS ARON PRESLEY - RCA CPL8-3699 - Producer: John GARDEN OF LOVE - Rick James - Gordy G8 -995M1 - Deary - List: 69.95 Producr: Rick James - List: 8.98 Like a set of rare, antique cutlery, comes this silver -bound, The man who busted out of L7 proves that there is more to his eight -album set from the RCA vaults. The limited edition music than punk funk, as he delivers a beautifully subtle and package should truly be treated as a family heirloom, as it subdued album with "Garden Of Love." The bouncy and joyous features 65 unreleased performances. Such hallowed moments "Big Time" is the perfect Friday night party song for B/C for- as an early years live show and monolog are captured on this mats, but the lush "Island Lady" ranks right up there with the collection, and never -before -seen photos adorn each separate best of Stevie Wonder. James has developed into an excellent disc. While this collection of King chestnuts will be found in the producer, and makes good use of sound effects on this sur- record bins. Elvis fans had better snap it up quick. prisingly diverse effort. CRIMES OF PASSION - Pat Benatar - Chrysalis CHE 1275 A MUSICAL AFFAIR - Ashford & Simpson - Warner Bros. - Producer: Keith Olsen - List: 8.98 - Bar Coded HS 3458 - Producers: Ashford and Simpson - List: 8.98 - The lovely Benatar was one of AOR radio's most pleasant Bar Coded surprises last year, as her streamlined hard rock sound was Ashford & Simpson remain R&B'sclassiestduo because they defined in the explosive "Heartbreaker." Her unique vocal style, don't clutter their urban soul sound with a lot of slick production which sounds alternately tough and tender, works best this time moves and synthesized arrangements. Piano, percussion and around on "Never Want To Leave You" and "Out -A -Touch." horns remain the duo's main musical tools, and they still Grinding rockers like "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" and "Little manage to put out one of the most exciting and contemporary Paradise" should be right at home on FM rock playlists. Benatar works around. is one of the prettiest faces to appear in the rock arena in some SPECIAL THINGS - Pointer Sisters - Planet P-9 - time, and her straight -ahead, hell raising sound guarantees an Producer: Richard Perry - List: 7.98 extended stay. The trio from San Francisco has eschewed its progressive rock hits of the '60s and THE YEAR 2000 The O'Jays TSOP FZ 36416 '70s style for a much more soulful ap- - - - proach on "Special Things." Producers: Various List: 7.98 Bar Coded The girls still have a strong har- - - mony style, but they have The trio from Cleveland have all but defined the Philadelphia opted for a more R&B cum A/C ap- proach, as Jacksons-like like I sound with songs such as "Love Train," "Backstabbers" and songs "Could Be Dreaming" are offset by Bacharach & Sager songs like "Used Ta' Be My Girl," and they continue on in fine Philly soul "Where Did The Time Ago" and "The Love Too Good To Last." Anita Pointer form with "The Year 2000." The title track is a dramatic social also shows off her songwriting ability as the light, infectious and emotional observance in the vein of "Backstabbers," but title track is an LP highlight. For pop and A/C formats. the majority of the album is devoted to a more subdued harmony -oriented sound. CHANGING TIDES - Nigel Olsson - Bang JZ 36491 Producers: James Stroud and Ed Seay BREAKING - List: 7.98 - Ba GLASS - Hazel O'Connor - A&M SP -4820 - Coded Producer: Tony Visconti List: 7.98 Bar Coded - - Olsson scored big a few years back with "A Little Bit O This is the soundtrack to the film that presents a dramatic ac- Soap," and Elton's former drummer has come up with a plea count of punk life in London and stars Phil Quadrophenia's sant, Top 40 -oriented effort this time around. His pleasantly Daniels and an astonishing newcomer named Hazel O'Connor. poppy voice is somewhat reminiscent of Peter Frampton, and Backed by an excellent rock band, O'Connor blazes through a songs like "Saturday Night" and "Showdown" are perfect AM variety of new wave styles on this beautifully produced album. fare. Slower material like "Should We Carry On," "Only A Matte O'Connor sounds and writes an awful lot like David Bowie gone Of Time" and "That's How Long" should appeal to both pop and femme fatale, and she is capable of deep emotion and a A/C formats. neurotic aloofness well. as BACK ON THE STREETS Donnie Iris Midwest MWL 1984 At The Wheel - - FRAMED - Asleep - MCA MCA -5131 - Producer: Mark Avsec List: 7.98 Producer: Ray Benson List: 7.98 - - - Big surprises come from little labels, and Donnie Iris' debut For those who haven't been turned on to the wonders of on Midwest has to be one of the year's biggest shockers. The Asleep At The Wheel, "Framed" is the perfect primer for this album cover looks like the attack of the Elvis Costellos but Iris is campy Texas band. A cross between the Texas swing of Bob no clone. It's true he does borrow from several styles, but his Wills and the herky jerky '30s sound of Dan Hicks and his Hot sound is such a classic example of modern energized pop, that Licks, Asleep At The Wheel is more fun than a ride on the one forgets the cops and just feels this refreshing and lovably mechanical bull at full speed. While it's a natural for country lists quirky sound. adventurous AOR programmers should love this band as well. NERVOUS EATERS Elektra 6E282 Producer: Harry Top tracks are "Slow Dancin' " and "Don't Get Caught Out In - - The Rain." Maslin - List: 7.98 The Nervous Eaters really sink their teeth into CROSS TALK Pretty Things Warner Bros. BSK 3466 some AOR- - - - tinged pop on this debut release on Elektra. Leader Steve Producers: Jon Astley and Phil Chapman - List: 7.98 - Bar Coded Cataldo molds the best elements of the '50s and '60s into the band's decidedly modern The Pretty Things have reunited, and what's more, they've sound, making for strong and varied work. Such songs as "Get Stuffed" A reunited intact with the addition of Dick Taylor on guitar, who and "Out On Date (She Said No)" have a new wave edge, but was one of the original members along with Phil May in 1964. "By Yourself" and "Walkout" are as clean and commercial as FM radio Appropriately enough, "Cross Talk" harkens back to the strip- gets. The album is a little ped down drive and urgency of 1973's "Freeway Madness." The unfocused, but fans of Planet label contem- poraries The Cretones should enjoy Nervous Eaters. Pretty Things have trimmed the fat of their late seventies bom- STARPOINT Casablanca/Chocolate City CCLP 2013 bast away and come up with a leaner, rockier sound more in line - - Producer: Lionel Job List: 7.98 with former days when the group came very, very close to - Already a huge success on beating the Stones at their own game. the east coast, Starpoint should gain a strong B/C following on a national BILLY JOE ROYAL Mercury SRM 1-3837 Producer: level with its debut on - - Chocolate City. Fans Robert Nix List: 7.98 of the slick R&B and silky male/female - vocal style of Shalamar should flip for this sextet from New York The man from "Down In The Boondocks" is back and City. The sound is danceable, clean and brimming breathing fire with such hot rock songs as "Fever Blind" and with pop crossover potential. Best cuts are "Gonna Lift You Up," "Don't "Mr. Kool." However, Billy Joe evens out the album with a Leave Me" and the spirited "Sunny Day." variety of Southern styled pop songs, including "Home And CHICAGO FIRE Son Seals Homesick," "Let's Talk It Over" and "Slowly." Fine backing - - Alligator 4720 - Producers: Bruce Iglauer and Son Seals List: 7.98 vocals by the Vicious Voices and a sympathetic studio band led - Arkansas born and raised, by Robert Nix add lustre to this noteworthy effort. Son Seals has rich blues roots HELMET BOY - Asylum 6E-280 - Producer: Jay Senter - traceable to his growing up around Sonny Boy Williamson and List: 7.98 Albert King. And while there is a lot of B.B. King in his style, Seals is always throwing new hooks This self -titled debut effort offers a tasty smorgasbord of ex- and twists into his big band, big blues uberant pop -rock, the likes of which haven't been heard since sound. Songs such as "Buzzard Luck" and "Gen- tleman From the Raspberries made guitar -based quartet rock with well craf- The Windy City" are as contemporary as anything this side of the ted harmonies respectable (briefly) in 1972. Tracks looking Albert Collins Band, but "I'm Not Tired" and good for AOR/Top 40 spinning are "Don't Tease Me," "Red "Crying Time Again" show that he still pledges his allegiance to the traditional. Eyes," "Hurts Like Love" and a buttonpopping remake of the Chiffons' "Rebel (She's A)." An odd name for a group totally REACH FOR THE SKY - The Allman Brothers Band - Arista nonaggressive in its careful creative tapping of Beatle -nurtured AL9535 - Producers: The Allman Brothers, Lawler and Cobb pop roots. - List: 7.98 - Bar Coded CHERRY - Platypus - Casablanca NBLP 7221 - Producer: The band that originally begat the whole Southern rock scene Art Stewart - List: 7.98 is back with an album that is wrapped as tight as the jam on "In Platypus displays that it is a truly capable contemporary R&B Memory Of Elizabeth Reed." Dicky Betts' solos on "Mystery band on its first effort on Casablanca.