April 27, 1978
[I
,
DISC ussions
fallen short on their records.
For Infinity, lead vocalist Steve
Infinity-Journey (Columbia Perry was added to the band,
Records) as a much-needed frontman and
By Greg Hall artistic contributor. Perry's
performance on the album
should rank him among the best
rock vocalists. Former vocalist
Rollie was shifted into the
background for harmonies and
occasional leads.
The finishing touches on the
restructured band were pro
vided by ace-producer Roy
Thomas Baker, a veteran
among the hard rock bands
with an extraordinary success
record. It was Baker's task to
shape and texture Journey's
sound to perfect their stylings,
and to efficiently unleash their
powerful musical potential.
Baker sidestepped conventions,
providing the band with form,
command, and razor-sharp
intensity.
Infinity works so well
because it combines lyrical and
romantic rock forms while
exploring the full potential of
the band members. Not once
does Baker allow it to slip into
cliche or overstatement. All the
basic rock elements gel in much
the same way as they did for
Led Zeppelin on their magical
fourth album. Journey has
fulfilled their promise at last,
and Infinity is a statement of
their musical maturity.
Infinity is a highly-refined
version of seventies Hard Rock.
Sporting a minimum of
pretension, the album is firmly
rooted in four-chord riffing,
dynamics that rely on a
heavy-handed bass end, and the
technical finess of a rock
vocalist's range and appeal. By
avoiding a handful of common
pitfalls, namely exploitation of
any or all of the above items, or
even making a wealth of
volume to cover a lack of skill,
Journey has made one of the
more pleasing albums in this
gender.
On their first three albums,
Journey had fallen into the
same bag as at least a hundred
struggling rock bands. They
were raw and ripe, with all the
potential for a magical combi
nation. Gregg Rollie's earthy
organ powerfully anchored the
original Santana band. Lead
guitarist Neal Schon was Carlos
Santana's young protege in the
same band, trading licks with
Carlos. Ansley Dunbar had
always been a prime underdog
among rock drummers, and
Ross Valory provided a solid
'pass foundation.
Dates And Places
28-29 Offenbach's "Tales of Hoffman" presented by Lancaster
Opera Workshop at Fulton Theatre, Lancaster.
28 Pure Prarie League/Robert Klein in concert at Lebanon
College, 8 p.m.
28 David Bromberg/Maria Muldaur in concert at Hershey
Community Theatre 7:30 and 10:30 p.m.
May
5 Renaissance in Concert-F & M College, Mayser Center,
Lancaster 8 p.m.
April 27-May 6 Drama "Woyzeck" opens at F & M College,
Green Room 'Theatre, Lancaster. Call for times, prices, and
reservations.
April 28 Edward Albee's drama, "A Delicate Balance" opens at
Performing Arts Workshop Theatre, 49 N. Market St.,
Lancaster 8 p.m.
April 28-May 21 "Promises, Promises" at Hbg. Comm. Theatre.
Call for times, prices: 238-7381
April 28 & 30 Film "The Deep" at Millersville State College
Student Memorial Center
April 28 "The Way We Were" HACC, Lehrman Arts Center,
8 p.m.
Music and Dance
April 27 American Ballet, at MSC [see article for details]
MARK SHERMAN'S
HOME OF BLUEGRASS
3813 Walnut St. Harrisburg, Penna. 17109
Still, they lacked cohesive
direction, and consistently
Phone (717) 652-7714
• New and used stringed instruments 1
• Lessons in all styles
• Expert repair and supplies
• Bluegrass records and tapes
• Friendly pickin' parlor
ARTS and CULTURE
Fotornaker(Adantic Records]
By Randy Parrett
This is my first attempt at
critically reviewing a record
and the situation I find _myself
reminds me of a similar
circumstance that Crosby,
Stills and Nash experienced at
Woodstock. It was the first
time that they performed
together before such a large
audience. They were already
established musicians, yet they
stated collectively that they
were "scared shitless" because
it was their first gig. Needless
to say, I feel the same way
about this record review.
This is Fotomaker's first
album. The band is composed of
three former members of the
Rascals and a former member
of the Rasberries. Both the
Rascals and the Rasberries
acheived moderate fame during
the sixties and early seventies,
but neither band ever produced
the quality of music that
Fotomaker might be capable of
producing.
Les Marchesi, one of the
former Rascals and the lead
guitarist for Fotomaker, did
most of the song writing for
this album. Marchesi is a very
good guitarist. His leads are the
high points of nearly every
song.
"Where Have You Been All
My Life," is the only song
where the band backs up
Marchisi's consistently good
leads with some fine vocal
work. The lyrics to this song
are also a strong point, while
cont'd on pg. 4
Fourteen "Stars of
American Ballet" will dance at
Millersville State College this
Thursday, April 27, at 8 p.m. in
Lyte Auditorium. The perfor
mance will be open to the public
with admission at the door.
The international touring
troupe is comprised of ballet
artists who have formerly been
members of ballet companies
such as the New York City
Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet,
American Ballet Theatre and
C.C. Reader
Ballet To Perform
At MSC Tonight
42,?
ra Os' ..I),etus'
The life of a bluegrass
musican is tough. They are
underpaid, overworked and
open to calamity. Neal Allen
died of pneumonia while on the
road, but his brothers carry on.
Sweet Rumors, Rounder 0079,
is the Allen Brothers first
release since Allengrass on
Lemco. Even though Neal and
their father Red are not
present on the new Ip, the
sound remains much the same.
For all the apparent care
put into the songs, the delivery
lacks the flow and sureness that
only hard work and a thorough
knowledge of the material can
provide. "Wildwood Flower
Blues" is a gem, but suffers
from a less than sure fire
delivery.
On Jessi Colter's "Storms
Never Last" they adapt the
lyrics and drive them with a
sureness that is not consistant
throughout the album. The able
assistance of Rick Skaggs of
fiddle and mandolin and Jerry
Douglas on the dobro add life to
the album and really shine on
"Bluegrass Bolero".
At times the boys evoke the
same feeling from their music
as their father, Red Allen. That
cross of country and bluegrass
with a melancholy edge, a
glimpse into the darker side of
life and the pain of living with
uncertainty: that even spirited
picking can't override.
Their repertoire consists of
traditional and modern ballet
styles and features dances
choreographed by interna
tionally-known choreographers
such as George Balanchine and
Paul Mejia.
The program will include
"Valse Fantasie" by Glinka,
"Summer Rose" by Berlioz,
"Brandenburg No. 2" by Bach,
"Three Pieces" by Stravinsky
and "Sylvia Variations" by
Delibes.
By Bob Buckingham
J.D. Crowe and the New
South, much like Earl Scruggs
and his sons seem to be
shirking their best talents for a
more marketable commodity.
Yon Can Share My Blanket,
Rounder 0096, finds the New
South sounding much like one
of a thousand good country rock
bands, sacrificing the driving
banjo and high vocals for
mellow songs, steel guitars and
electric piano.
They do a nice job on Gram
Parson's "Hickory Wind" and
even feature some banjo on
Gordon Lightfoot's "Did She
Mention My Name."
But why the pabulum of "As
Tears Go By" or several other
exercises in ndurotic exorcism?
Why take the fire out of a great
band and great banjo player?
The answer may be related to
the fact that it does not pay to
play straight bluegrass. Take
away the hard edge, solid drive
and cut of threatening emotion
and there remains a mediocre,
middle of the road syrup. If you
like a little pancake with your
syrup, then read no further.
Acid grass lives with Frank
Wakefield and The Good Old
Boys. At least that is what they
have on their new 1p on Flying
Fish. The band lacks a strong
vocalist and Wakefield is not up
to his earlier efforts. Jon Glik
pours on some powerful fiddle,
cont'd on pg. 4
ILM OF
EXHILARATING
BEAUTY ...
EXTRAVAGANTLY
FUNNY.
`Amarcord'
may possibly
be Federico
Fellini's most
marvelous film."
—Vincent Canby.
N. Y. Times
ROGER CORMAN Presents
FRANCO w.,pcurff,m, sk
CRISTALDIS r S
Production 01
f41 . 11K4
(1 REMEMBER")
NEW D W S CIR ' tE) I F 7 I I C b TUR ES RIM SH IW" €' I
Thurs., May 4
2 pm Student Center
8 pm Auditorium
FREE
ELKS PA0.14.1
Pgibilistown 414-SW
41.44, 1.i3 0..1.0e.k. i.e45
Thit CAINte Vide. of
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SUibirs 11:10 11 it:SO
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