PACE 10 Reader Reviews There’s One in Every Crowd Edo Clapton RSO SO 4806 Eric Clapton, fresh off the comeback trail, has released his second album in less than a year. There’s One in Every Crowd is a nice little inauspicious collection of tunes on the order of 461 Ocean Boulevard, his initial comeback album. Although 461 wasn’t a bad album, it wasn’t anything revolutionary, but Clapton has chosen to stick to that format, anyway. Continuing a new Clapton tradition of articulate vocals and undemonstrative guitar-playing, he endeavors here to try out a variety of rock styles. Still, they all sound closely related to a sort of boppish reggae. The backing group is the same as on 461, but the song selections include several more Clapton originals than on that first album. There’s One in Every Crowd opens with two rearranged traditional hymns. Of the two, only the second, a reggae treatment of “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”, is really worth remembering. I remember it as one of the album’s better moments. Remerhber “I Shot the Sheriff,” the song that rocketed Clapton back to the top of the charts? Not one to take a good thing lightly, Clapton has included “Don’t Blame Me,” a sequel to "I Shot the Sheriff.” It’s nothing spectacular, but it is a bit more reggae than its predecessor, and Clapton vocalizes in a mock-Chicano style. Only on the last song of the first side, “the Sky Is Crying,” do we get a real glimpse of Clapton’s fabled guitar. But the solo in this tune is too sparse and low-keyed to be of any real consequence. Still no “Layla.” On Side Two, Clapton entertains with four songs of his own creation which range in tempo from a funeral-shuffle to a modertaety-paced rocker. Again the most noticeable thing about this collection is the absence of guitar soloing. On “High,” one of the album’s better cuts, the entire middle section is taken up by a Dick Sims organ solo; the perfect spot for a classic Clapton ad-lib. But, to be fair, I must point-out that the ending is given to a short, but high-energy guitar break. Still, it’s less than satisfying, and more like an appetizer. Completing the album is “Opposites,” with Beatleish chording, and which comes off as being lyrically slightly better than inane in its attempt to reach abstrusity. Although it’s obviously meant to be this album’s “Let It Grow,” it doesn’t quite attain the success that first song did due, I think, to its apparent lack of feeling. Clapton would have been better off lengthening “Let It Grow” on 461, and never writing “Opposites.” Generally, There’s One in Every Crowd is a pleasant album, slightly below 461 Ocean Blvd in quality. Clapton’s vocals are extremely good, and his overall musicianship seems intact. But, one can’t get over the feeling of inadequacy when listening to this LP and its lack of outstanding guitar. It would be nice if Eric once again let his guitar do more of the singing. There’s always tomorrow... Tarnhelm Reception - Today 3:00 - 5:00 Everyone Welcome Gallery Lounge <s*»/ S¬he*. &ace - Jim Bollinger C.C. READER wmp WZAP RADIO RECORD PLAYLIST MAY 4, 1975 John D'Allure - Music Director Michael Bless - Program Director SINGLES PLAY-UST 1. Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song B.J. Thomas Philadelphia Freedom Elton John Sister Golden Hair America Lovin You Minnie Ripperton Shining Star Earth Wind & Fire Killer Queen Queen Jackie Blue Ozark Mountain Dare Devils Sammy Johns B. Manilow Laßelle Pilot Barry White L. Ronstadt Joe Cocker Leo Sayer Blackbyrds David Bowie B. Chevy Van 9. It's A Miracle 10. Lady Marmalade 11. Magic 12. What Am I Gonna Do 13. When Will [BeLoved 14. You Are So Beautiful 15. Long Tall Glasses 16. Walking In Rhythm 17. Young Americans 18. Have You Never Been Melow O. Newton John 19. Old Days Chicago 20. Dixie Rock Wet Willie ALBUM PLAY-UST 1. Chicago VIII 2. Physical Graffiti 3. Have You Never Been Mellow Olivia Newton John 4. Straight Shooter Bad Co. 5. Sheer Heart Attack Queen 6. Young Americans David Bowie 7. Tommy Polydor 8. On The Level Status Quo 9. Pilot Pilot 10. Heart Like A Wheel Linda Ronstadt 11. There’s One In Every Crowd 12. Just A Boy 13. Fire Ohio Players 14. Nuthin Fancy Lynard Skynard 15. That's The Way of The World Earth Wind & Fire I Energy Note Please remember to turn off •lights when leaving rooms. [Help not only to conserve [energy but to conserve funds. 944-4540 PLEASE MIND YOUR String Driven Thing Please Mind Your Head T-470 by Mike Bless Question: What would happen if we took a moderately hard rock British group, touch up some of the vocals to resemble Rod Stewart, and add an electric violin easily the equal of Papa John Creech’s. The answer is elementary, we’d get a String Driven Thing. SDT is probably the best new British rock-n-roll import since Queen. It consists of five members: Kimberley Beacon /Lead vocals; Alun Roberts/Lead guitar, banjo, acoustic guitar, bass vocals; James Exell/Bass guitar, high vocals; Colin Fairley/Drums, percussion, beer cans, vocals; and far from last or least Grahame Smith/Violin, Viola. In addition to these, other artists add the musical variety of pianos, saxes, harmonicas and bagpipes. Now I must confess that I know very little about the group other than what this LP contains. Their basic tone is in a sort of folk-hard rock genre. SDT can be appropriately compared with early Free. The group exhibits the same raspy vocals coupled with the same basic rocker beat. However, behind and quite often dominating the music is Smith’s electric violin work. This tends to temper the music with a very smooth continuity which was often lacking in Free. Generally all the songs are quite good. The only exception to this is “Timpani for the Devil” - an experimental free form number - really out of place on the LP. However this song leads into an excellent slow rocker number “To Know You is to Love You.” My own personal favorite is “Overdrive” - a typical English boogie on down the highway tune. In addition to these, “Black Eyed Queen,” “Keep on Moving” and “Without You” could easily be 45 material. Other high-light songs are “Josephine" - a heavy on the bass my girl Josephine type - and “Man of Means” - containing one of the best Stewart impersonations in an awfully long time. Chicago Led Zeppelin Eric Clapton Leo Sayer Watch out for String Driven Thing - they are definately on their way up - oh and when you see them try some very dry London Gin - they are just original enough to be as refreshing as a good gin-n-tonic on a hot summer’s day. HIGHSPIRE PUZA HEAD MAY i 5, 1975
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