The Times-Tribune du lieu suivant : Scranton, Pennsylvania • 25

rrrrrrnr rr rr i i ni ttt rm r-v .25 SCRANTON TIMES, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1. 1080 Grace Slick Plenty Smooth as Her 'Dreams' Become Recording Reality Grid Slick "Oftsms RCA Rscords Too muck of lift hat fallen through my handt I proy the Lord I get another chance To fact the raging ttorm and fact ill handt Fact to the wind To wit, the last verse of "Do It the Hard She' gonna keep on doing it all til the provet that they 're all scronp She's got to let them know she's the exception to the rule She's got no friendt cautt the think she's to damn ttrvng But the i the only one if ho doesnt know that she's the fool Well, that sounds as if Ms. Slick has finally realized just who the fool really was. It is a realization that sit both readily and happily with those of us who are glad to find that her "Dreams" are again our recording reality. the approach of the Starship when Slick was flying high as part of the crew.

Throughout the presentation, which Includes a quintet of songs penned by the singer, the guitar work of Zito and George Wadenius la universally powerful and provides apt counterpoint to Slick's stylistic approaches. The range of the material, also, sets off Slick as a multi-dimensional performer. The lead cut, after which the album is named, shows her almost throwing a way the tune with the kind of pervasive cynicism that her fans have come to love. "Angel of Night is an uptempo rocker, while "El Diablo" la rich in Spanish textures, while "Seasons" is cast along lines of traditional Fussian music. But all these tunes have been written by others; the music written by Slick has an even greater maintain a steady grip on her off stage existence.

i When Slick bailed out of the Starthip more than a year ago, it was hailed by many as the death knell for both herself and the legendary group. But the revamped Starship crew has registered a gold album in its first release without Slick or her male counterpart, Marty Balm. So now it is up to Slick, whose former husband, Paul Kantner. dubbed big talent with an even bigger drinking problem" to prove that the fire still flames and the ice still holds its chilly edge. 'Dreams" indicates that, indeed, this is the case, for the let-it-all-go Grace Slick is still able to Uke a song by the ears and mold it to fit her vocal personality as few other females can.

If the new album has an evident shortcoming, it comes In the fact that the instrumentation and arrangements by Ron Frangipane too closely parallel lance Tor many female vocalist to ling these word. It would be limply another exercise of their talent, the uttering of a writer' lyllables, a ound with neither force nor conviction. But when Grace Slick she of the voice of fire and ice-belt out the ame lyric, they take on a tone of truth than can only be formed in the crucible of personal torment and testing. Yes, Grace Slick, whose slide from the top wa almost a inevitable a the fact ihe wa going to get there in the first place, is back and the fact that the aforementioned word were written for her, rather than by her, do little to detract from the dramatic Impact of thi olo effort. In those day when she was one of the lead singers with, first.

The Jefferson Airplane and, later, The Jefferson Starship, there wa always something magical about Slick's vocal renderings. Maybe it was the fact that those who paid attention to her private life knew that the fierce, always-in-control style that marked her singing delivery was in marked contrast to the little-girl-in-trouble pattern that seemed to Sounding Board Sounds Off Van Halen Stakes Claim to Crown Van Halen "Woman and Children First" Warnir Brothers Van Halen hai done It again. This LP is not as heavy as his first but the power and energy remain evident. Edward Van Halen'i performance as guitarist on the album is flawless, proving that he is not a cliche-lick musician. His guitar work is some of the best heard in a long time, and at the tender age of 23, it appears he'U be around for a while.

He even does some fine slide work on "Could It Be Magic. ecus On "Women and Children First," Van Halen proves that they are not just another hard rock band looking to make it big quick, even though they have. Its the kind of band that will give Zeppelin and The Who a run for the crown of the king of heavy metal rock and roll. -Ben Smith 'Little River Band' Sails Right Along This Group Can Conform Tha Clash "London Cilling Epic Seemingly, The Gash can conform to any rock 'n roll collection. As a verb, their name is synonymous with conflict." As a noun one could substitute "impact." As of the release of "London Calling," the latter correlation is unquestionably best suited.

The presence of "London Calling," the band's third album, and a double dose at that, demands that the music world finally sit up and listen; to "get up and dance follows out of sheer spontaneity. And not far behind is a march up the charts. The four-man band has done just that with prime Top 40 positioning on the charts, accompanied by status recognition, a. la Rolling Stone magazine. All cuts are easy to digest due to the bouncingly rhythmic drumming of Topper Headon and a smooth brass via The Irish Horns, Individual voices, though, are just mediocre, but together they do each song vocal justice.

Throughout the album The Gash sound is both jolting and refreshing. Initially the body says yes to their foot-tappin', shoulder-rockin sound, regardless of the lyrics (Wrong Emboyo.) Herein lies the clash. Below the title Lost in the Supermarket ohe assumes nonsense lyrics to follow, but directly the contrary is true. It is probably their most intense statement of the four sides. Dont let any preconceived or superficial impressions on new wave steer you from the rack.

Possibly the 80s band. The Gash is caUing and it's no wrong number. P.S. Who says you cant dance to rock 'n' roll? Karen Dolan little River Band "Backstage Pass" Capitol Here's the latest release from the Little River Band, their first commercial live recording and an outstanding one at that. This double album is somewhat unusual since sides one and two were recorded in Australia (the group's home country) and sides three and four were culled from various concerts in America and Canada.

My first reaction to any live album is to check the songs it includes. This one contains music mostly from previous releases, but not as many hits as usual. Only threi outstanding hits appear on the double LP "Its a Long Way There, Reminiscing, and "Help Is on Its Way. All are on sides one and two, recorded in Australia. Whats really nice about these sides is the appearance of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra with the band.

As you can imagine, the orchestra adds a lot of musical taste to the songs. The recording production is quite fine, also. Sides three and fonr, recorded in America and Canada, concentrate mostly on the groups most recent studio album "First Under the Wire." You wont find the hit Lonesome Loser, though, which rates as a true surprise. However, the best album tracks are featured. There are five songs that werent released in America on these two sides, also.

Overall, this is an album for anyone who owns and listens to a Little River Band record. But based on sound quality and performance, this is truly an excellent recording to listen to intently. Larry Hillyard Oliva, Shawn Casey and Ben Smith. At rear are Paul Michaels and lance Evans. With the exception of Evans, Times FOCUS editor, the panel is composed of the radio personalities of Rock 107.

(Photo by Mike Mullen) Members of "The Sounding Board," whose reviews of rock albums appear on today's FOCUS page are: Chris Norton, seated left, and Karen Dolan, in foreground. In middle row are Larry Hillyard, Rich Levinson, Charlie Musical Ghosts Atlantic Offer Pleasure Ten To Watch During April Mellow Rock Has Appeal Firefall "Undertow" Atlantic- Sound of the South Boogies Up a Storm this Canadian band. Straightahead rock roll. Angel City, "Face to Face" (Epic). A new group with a strong debut.

Red Rider, Dont Fight It (Capitol). Also new, well-written, well-performed, well-produced music. Gentle Giant, "Civilian (Columbia). A fresh sound for the 80s from this veteran band. Bob Seger, "Against the Wind (Capitol).

A top album for the month and maybe for the year. Every cut is a delight. Pat Travers Band, "Crash and Burn (Polydor). Exciting crank-it-up rock from an up-and-coming crowd-pleaser. Journey, Departure" (Columbia).

These hard-working and energetic rockers score again. Eric Clapton, Just One Night (RSO). A new double live album reestablishes rock credibility for this legendary guitarist. Joe Perry Project, "Let the Music Do the Talking (Columbia). Former Aerosmith guitarist now on his own, continuing in the same powerful vein.

Triumph, Progressions of Power (RCA). Their concert here last October made many new fans for Genesis was born in the late 1960s as a brainchild of the art rock culture, although their music then was not as technical as it is now. As the group matured, its sound tightened. The ensemble soon became giants with the enormous theatrical stage presence of Peter Gabriel. Since his departure from the group, the sound has become a bit more commercial.

However -their stage show-prowess remains constant. There are three remaining members of Genesis, Michael Rutherford (basses, guitars and vocals), Tony Banks (keyboards), and Phil Collins (lead vocal and percussion). The new LP Duke is from the same Genesis mold, and it seems their quality of music and lyric get better and better each LP. Even though the days of the giant hogweed and musical box are gone, their musical ghosts remain and the lyrics become more and more simplified, making the LP easier for first time Genesis listeners to digest. Ben Smith Dakota, "Dakota (Columbia).

Northeast Pennsylvania anxiously awaits the release of this album featuring Jerry Hludzik and Bill Kelly. The single If It Takes All Night is all we have so far. We want more. Chris Norton 6 Rock 'n' roll is here to stay. But so is mellow rock.

And so is Firefall, it would seem. Their newest album, "Undertow, maintains their soft, easy sound that brought the group success with previous LPs "Elan, "Luna Sea and their self-titled debut album. Rick Roberts, the musical main man of the sextet, wrote six of the 10 songs on "Undertow" and co-wrote a seventh. Roberts is joined by Larry Burnett and Jock Bartley for the smooth vocal work that marks all Firefall hits. Another standout musician is David Muse, whose flute and saxophone playing are likewise recognizable.

It was the unique flute sound that made their first hit You Are the Woman," and the sax made Just Remember I Love You. This new album offers less flute and sax, but plenty of pleasant tunes, from the light and airy Love That Got Away to the medium rocker Headed for a Fall. The other songs all lie somewhere between these two in tempo, which is to say they all sound pretty much the same. Undertow is nice and listenable, but not particularly exciting. Musically and lyrically the title cut is perhaps the most interesting.

The rest weve aU heard before. If you liked em before, youll like em again. Chris Norton Welcome Aboard! The Marshall Tucker Band Tenth Warner Brothers As the title suggests, this is the Marshall Tucker Band's 10th album, a proud accomplishment for a band that was one of the first of the so-called Southern boogie bands of the 70s. Their music is indeed southern and it definitely boogies, although quite sensitive at times. The occasional use of Jerry Eubanks on various types of saxophones and flute gives the band an unique depth uncharacteristic of the genre.

Although rarely leaving southern rock terrain, Marshall Tucker is invariably spirited and has never made a poor LP. Tenth is certainly no exception. The music is a competent continuation of the sound the band developed on their two previous studio albums, "Running Like The Wind and Together Forever." This sound leans more heavily on rock roll than it does on country blues, which dominated the bands earlier efforts. Driven by Doug Grays sensitive, southern-accented vocals and Tony Caldwells fluid lead guitar, Tenth is by far the groups hardest rocking to date. Besides the usual dose of love songs, there are a few welcome surprises.

Cattle Drive features some excellent flute and guitar, and is the most interesting song on the album. "Gospel Singin Man includes female gospel singers supplying background vocals, an indication that the band has not forgotten their roots. "Sing My Blues is a flat-out rocker with rhythm guitar runs reminiscent of ZZ Top's Tush. The album also includes an instrumental, Jimi, presumably a tribute to the late Jimi Hendrix. "Tenth compares favorably to the groups previous albums, containing material that will both please long-standing fans and attract new listeners.

Charlie Oliva Humble Pie 1-Half Album 0 Not Worth it The Pretenders "The Pretenders" Little Pretense, Lots of Talent Sire Rock roll," as the man says, is here to stay." And, with this fact in mind, today marks the inaugural of Sounding Board, a new FOCUS feature that will be appearing monthly. At the heart of the presentation will be album reviews, written by members of the FOCUS department and the Rock 107 radio personalities. But, from time to time, there will also be interviews with rock stars, peeks behind stage at the area concert scene and tips on stereo paraphernalia. In short, Sounding Board is dedicated to the principle that is, indeed, a valid musical art form and' should be treated as such. During the planning and preparation of this initial offering, I was most impressed by both the knowledge and enthusiasm of the young men (and the young woman) who constitute our group of reviewers.

It is hoped that these two commodities show through in the reviewing process. As you possibly have guessed already, the star systemis the mode of evaluation we have elected to use. The lowest mark we will give is one-half star, while the highest will be four stars. It is our belief that we are beginning what will be a rather interesting trip along the highways and byways of rock music. As you come along feel free to make your opinions, known to us.

-Lance Evans Welcome aboard. In this humble opinion, Humble Pies new LP "On to Victory" is not a victory it is only a tie: Side one holds your interest because it maintains its energy level throughout, but side two could put you to sleep. I thought Humble Pie had learned its lesson. The reason te group broke up in the first place was that they changed their musical qtyle from rock roll to gospel soul. People found the change boring; the same holds true on this new album.

No new ground is broken here, but there is at least intensity and feeling on side 1. least intensity and feeling The cover of this debut album gives us guitarist and lead vocalist Chrissie Hynde looking like a tough punk rocker in her red motorcycle jacket. A sideways shift of the eyes shows the rest of the band supporting that impression. But pop the disc on your turntable, however, and you wont get blown away by punk rock. You will hear the groups main songwriter, Hynde, singing "Precious, a cut labeled not suitable for airplay." You will experience raw talent being harnessed into the sound that gave The Pretenders a number one album in the United Kingdom.

The album is long (almost 47 minutes) and mostly medium paced with a couple of nice slow numbers, including a Nick Lowe production of an old Ray Davies (Kinks) tune, Stop Your Sobbing." Space Invaders is a good instrumental written for those people who share (with The Pretenders and me) a fascination with the midway game. The album's musical content reveals a wide range of styles from a ballad, "The Kid, to the mellow rocking top hit, "Brass In Pocket." Hyndes lyrics are a good twist, giving us a taste of a womans point of view of man, instead of the opposite we usually find in rock. The only noticeable shortcoming is the lack of any real guitar solos. The Pretenders have a large amount of talent and their debut album is good; their second will be better, Shawn Casey Street," accounts for the long wait for "Glass Houses." Taking a new musical turn, Glass Houses" is mostly just rock 'n roll with a tinge of new wave sound. Billy Joel "Glass Houses" Columbia Rating: 4 Stars Billy Joels latest finds him continuing to explore May Be Right," lifted as the first single, is 8 musical directions of composition mlarrangifl; one of the more straightforward rockers, and perhaps The album begins with a good uptempo rocker called Fool for a Pretty Face" and goes downhill from there.

Two former members of the group are now in this reincarnation. Steve Marriott and Jerry Shirley are joined by the veterans Bobby Tench and Anthony Sooty" Jones, but the new blood doesn't pump any new life into the band. In this day of high record prices, paying for half an album isnt worth it. Paul Michaels Don't Throw Stones new while successfully meeting the challenging of both. A native of Long Island, Joel spent years trying to make it playing standards in a Los Angeles bar.

The huge success of 52nd Street and "The Stranger, his last two releases, lies in their mass appeal to younger and older listeners. Songs such as "Just The Way You Are got airplay on both top 40 and adult contemporary stations. His surprise at the unprecedented success of the LPs, especially 52nd most similar in style to bis older music. "Its Still Rock n' Roll To Me seems to be Joel's statement on new wave. All For Leyna," another strong rocker, continues his style of writing about relationships, and most of other-ongs follow in this vein.

Backed with the now trademarked sax of Richie Cannata and a solid band, Glass Houses" is no album at which to throw either stones or criticism. Rich Levinson I 4 a sd.