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...
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C.C. READER
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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