The Philadelphia Inquirer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Page 100

24 Friday. July 23. 1982 Philadelphia Inquirer Albums PbpRock With Queen, the show's the thing J1 -i-mm, I'MWM--; 1 r-- Gary U.S. Bonds. On the line (CMI) With more than a litle help from his friends most notably Bruce Springsteen two decades of oblivion ended for Bonds last year with his wonderful "Dedication" LP.

The same team is at work again here. The album was produced by Springsteen and Miami Sieve Van 2andt. and other members of the Street Band pitched in instrurnentally and vocally. Also. Springsteen wrote seven of the 1 1 tunes.

This one. though, lacks the feeling of good-time spontaneity that marked the previous release, and while the material is generally first-rate, there are a couple of weak numbers. Billy Joe Shaver. BiHy Joe Shaver (Columbia) Although Shaver has been something of a cult hero among the leading country "outlaws" for a number of years, he is little known to the general public. This release makes it clear that he deserves attention from those who like their country music with a rough-and-rowdy edge His voice has the ring of too many nights in too many honky-tonks, and his songs reflect those nights.

They are generally wonderful. Among the stronger numbers are "Amtrak" (and Ain't Corning Back)," "Oklahoma Wind." "Bide Me Down Easy" and one of Shaver's older classics. "Old Five and Dinners Like Me." The Producers, You Make the Heat (Epic); This Georgia group, which offers its music with iist a hint ot new-wave influences, demonstrated a fair amount ot promise on last year's debut release, but that promise is only occasionally realized heie. There are appealing songs, including "Dear John" and "Breakaway." but the total presentation ultimately blends into a sea of sameness. Razzy Bailey.

Feelin' Right (RCA): Bailey has obviously paid a lot of attention to the formula that took Kenny Rogers lo pop peaks, and there is little doubt that Bailey's music can be quite appealing to those who like watered-down country music. It is. in short, quite slick. The tracks simply ooze with "cross-over" producion values and polished arrangements with Bailey working out on such numbers as "She Left Love All Over Me." "I've Had My Linvt (of Women)" and "Bad News noK." Jack Lloyd Excellent Vnrv good. Good.

Fair, Poor. By Vickie Greenleaf and Stan llyman 10 The Inquirer MONTREAL Freddie Mercury seems disappointed; the lead vocalist of Queen is dismayed that the 12th album. "Hot Space" (F.lek-tra), hasn't moved up the record charts as rapidly or as successfully as its past efforts, nine of which have become gold or platinum. Nevertheless, Mercury maintains a theatrical approach to music; the show rivals the sound. Consequently, he says, the band won't lack enthusiasm when it takes the stage at the Spectrum tomorrow night.

"We weren't extremely disappointed," Mercury said before the first concert of the group's current tour. "Hut we're conceited enough to believe that the music isn't less popular, and we are prepared to fight to show that it isn't. If you just come to hear the record, then we might as well put the record on stage and play it. A concert performance has a whole different feel. A show is an atmosphere.

The performance of the music as well as the lights and the ambiance create that atmosphere. On stage, the band is exciting, fresh and vibrant." The difficulty with the lack of success of the album, Mercury explains, is attributable to several factors. The LP's first release, "Body Language" an and soul-influenced song was not slanted toward poprock radio and did not attract a wide range of listeners. And, not surprisingly, the album also received critical disdain. "The single just wasn't as big as previous singles from other albums," Mercury said.

"The first single is always important. If you have a number-one smash, then you're likely to have a big album. For instance, the first single of 'The Game' lElektral was 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love' and that obviously helped the album." Striving to remedy the misconception, that "Body Language" is representative of the overall tone of "Hot Space," the album's second release "Calling All Girls," bears a more pop sound. "It appears that people worldwide tend to think that Body Language' is typical of the entire album," Mercury noted. "The second single will show the public that the album is not all soul-funk music." Queen has long been recognized for its progressive and versatile recording efforts, and "Hot Space" is yet another outgrowth of the band's diversification.

Over the years, the group's material has been labeled as pop, soul, disco, rock, heavy-metal and even Queen, with vocalist Freddie Mercury, will perform tomorrow at the Spectrum garding the media's lack of esteem toward the group, Mercury feels that the band members have matured enough to concern themselves only with their playing and the opinions of their fans. "We're not making albums for the press," he said. "Wo make albums for ourselves and our fans. We're less quick to-be angered Iby re-viewsl now, because we're more in a position of strength. In the early days, there was the wolflike craving, fighting and clawing your way up.

But now we've become more We don't have to claw with our nails anymore, but we fight lor everything we want. Now, we just do it wearing suits instead of jeans." rockabilly Little Thing Called But until the release of "Hot Space," the group had shied away from the use of synthesizers. Searching for yet another sound, Queen explored those resources on this LP, using synthesizers for melody, rhythm and bass, the latter freeing bassist John Beacon to join Brian May on guitar. In addition, the group has hired an auxiliary keyboardist, Fred Mandl, the first additional player to accompany Queen on tour. By assuming some of Mercury's keyboard responsibilities, Mandl allows the vocalist always the visual center of the act to increase his already outlandish stage movement.

The changes have enabled the group to create a more powerful sound, in which Roger Taylor's pounding drums also remain a key ingredient. Despite phenomenal record sales in the past even the group's first release, "Queen" (Klektra 1973), sold more than 500,000 copies Queen has never enjoyed critical praise. Disre If you go Gary U.S. Bonds Queen is appearing at the Spectrum at 8 p.m. tomorrow Tickets are $12.50.

$10 and $8.50 and are available at the Electric Factory box office and through Ticketion. Information 569-9416 4-t rrr4- ATTT HO vv JJ VJKJ Ul chair, and Peter Maloney's American Garage, a stark settling of accounts between a mother and her abused daughter. If you go logues written by Louisville's Ken Jenkins: Cemetery Man, in which actor Peter Johnson gives a strongly humorous performance as a grave digger whose job is threatened by an earthmover, and Rupert's Birthday, in which Alda Cortese touchingly portrays a country woman remembering a beloved calf. Also on thd bill in "From the Heartland" is the disturbing The Subject Animal, a "public affairs" lecture by an army medical officer (Murphy Guyer) on the experimental wounding of live goats. Shirley Lauro's In the Garden of Eden is a confrontation between a seduction-minded waitress and a reform school inmate who has been hired as a busboy in a smalltown diner.

Another program consists of Michael Morin's Tallahassee, a monologue acted by the playwright as convicted murderer John Spenke-link. who died in Florida's electric The People's Light and Theater Company can be leached by way taking Route 20' south from King of Prussia to the Frazer exit Take Route 401 (Conestoga Road) east 1'. miles, almost to the intersection with Route 30 All four programs can be seen for a total of $16, with a slightly higher scale for Friday and Saturday evenings. On Sundays and weekdays, single tickets for one program are $7. Performance times are 2.

5 and 8 rn with an added starter of a play af 4 p.m. this Sunday only. On weeknights. Tuesdays through Thursdays, performances a'e and 8 m. The box office number is any one play.

The intensity and scope of the creative process involved in mounting the works takes on a value in itself. There arc four programs in the festival, three of them consisting of plays of less than full-length. The "short form," as it is called, has become increasingly popular with American playwrights, and the Malvern company is bringing to life some of the best of the newest crop. The lone full-length work, Char-lees Leipart's romantic, comedy, Romance, will be twinned with a shorter work, Frank South's Precious Blood, in a program that will have a press opening Sunday, along with the fourth program, Quintet, five one-act pieces. In the program entitled "From the Heartland" are three works introduced last season by the trend-setting Actors Theater of Louisville.

The best among these are two mono The atmosphere is festive and informal. Actors, directors and playwrights mingle with audiences on the lawn between shows. A pavilion-style tent has been erected where hot dogs, hamburgers and steak sandwiches, all served with potato salad, arc dispensed from 6 to 8 p.m. at improbably low prices, ranging from $1 for the hot-dog platter to $2.50 for the sieak-sandwich combination. Reservations for food should be made through the box office.

Soft drinks are available; wine-imbibers are encouraged to bring their own. Someone is always around to make music during this picnic supper. The best part of the adventure is, of course, the plays all of them being performed for the first time in this area. By plunging fully into the festival mood, the theatergoer is apt to discover a dimension of excitement greater than the impression made by -By William B.Collins Inquirer Vhetiwr Critic Theatergoing can be a full-scale outing, complete with cookout fare, at the People's Light and Theater Company, near Malvern. On Saturdays and Sundays, the company's second annual New Play Festival reaches a height of activity.

Three stimulating programs of plays in professional productions are presented on each day in two theaters. The festival extends through Aug. 8. The setting is exurb-historical. The 330-mainslage theater and the 7S-seat Second Stage are attached to a remodeled 162-year-old fieldstone barn that could find its way into an Andrew Wyeth canvas without any retouching.

The converted stone-and-clap-board farmhouse in which the theater company has its of I ices began life in 1790 as a one-room school-house. Additions built in 1820 and 1860 brought it to its present size. John Corr is on vacation. His column. On the town, will resume next week..