BUCHANAN BROTHERS: Rosianna (Penny Farthing PEN 725).
By merely turning into a bright percussive little beater, this latest Cashman-Pistilli-West opus doesn’t quite live up to its earlier promise of acappella bass clucking. Still, good enough.
THE SUPREMES: Everybody’s Got The Right To Love; But I Love You More (Tamla Motown TMG 747).
Nicely un-frantic jog-trotting gentle beater, quite a change from the old format, with wistful vocals, electric sitar touches, handclapping – really, more in the spirit of early Motown. “Say ‘Yeah!” Mary Wells would have sung this, then. Mmmm, lovely. Intricate good slow flip, too. Viva Jean Terrell.
BOB DYLAN: Wigwam; Copper Kettle (The Pale Moonlight) (CBS S 5122).
Great music to smooch by, and bound to be covered by Bert Kaempfert, Ray Conniff, etc. (None of the above is meant sarcastically, either.) Dead slow flip, about illicit liquor distilling.
JIMMY McGRIFF: The Worm; What’s That (United Artists UP 35025).
T.H.E. classic soul-jazz instrumental dancer, re-serviced doubtless because of its deserved popularity in discotheques. A beautiful happy groove, and a must for all DJs.
LOU DONALDSON: Everything I Do Gonh Be Funky (From Now On); Minor Bash (Blue Note SBN 1956).
The first single in years from Blue Note, the jazz giant. What a shame it’s out the same week as “The Worm” re-issue, as they’re both similar, both great. Bouncy ultra-danceable soul-jazz at its best. Get both and have a good time.
THE JACKSON 5: The Love You Save; I Found That Girl (Tamla Motown TMG 746).
These kids just get better. If you’ve listened to Radio Lux. recently, you will know well enough that this has been a “Power Play” single; if you haven’t, you will still know what sort of noise to expect. Either way – watch the charts. Nice slow flip.
CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG: Ohio; Find The Cost Of Freedom (Atlantic 2091023).
Fine for fans (of whom there are a considerable number) and armchair revolutionaries. Slow plod beat, simple lyrics, bags of sincerity. Deadly self-serious flip. They’ve got their market sewn up (“Oh, wow!”), so that as this is NOT on any LP it might just hit.
KENNY ROGERS AND THE FIRST EDITION: Tell It All Brother; Just Remember You’re My Sunshine (Reprise RS 20923).
Alex Harvey penned this doom-laden slow-starting stop/go sombre slowie. So – as it’s not danceable like “Ruby”, and it’s not sexy like “Something’s Burning”, its success will depend on the strength of their following. Easier slow flip.
THE TAMS: Too Much Foolin’ Around (Capitol).
New material, produced by the redoubtable Bill Lowery himself. While perfectly pleasant with Radio 1 brass, it’s nothing special.
THE ARCHIES: Sunshine (RCA).
LOOK EVERYBODY! The Archies have a new record out! Since this news was undeservedly greeted with resounding indifference on the last two occasions, I doubt if the pattern will change now.
RUFUS THOMAS: Old McDonald Had A Farm – Part 2; The Preacher And The Bear (Stax 149).
Two album tracks – and it’s Part 1, on the album, that’s most interesting. Otherwise, fair enough predictable Stax music. His current US single is a modernisation of Billy Ward & the Dominos’ “60 Minute Man” (also on the album).
BOBBIE GENTRY: Apartment 21 (Capitol).
Her current slow American hit. Get the less-prettified original by its writer, John Buck Wilkin (out here on Liberty).
THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE: Down By The River (Buddah 2011034).
A Neil Young song (which can’t be bad) that Buddy Miles has also done, given a good chunky building N.U. Pop treatment by the Johnny Maestro-led “Worst That Could Happen” group.
NORMAN GREENBAUM WITH DR. WEST’S MEDICINE SHOW AND JUNK BAND: Gondoliers (Shakespeares, Overseers, Playboys and Bums) (Page One POF 176).
A peaceful pleasant 1966 slowie, of very minor historic interest (“Egg Plant'”s follow-up).
DAWN: Candida (Bell BLL 1118).
A Tokens production, so veteran fans of New York Pop will know it’s likely to be passable. In fact, it’s a Ben E. King-like Mexican-flavoured easy-beater of some charm (and, possibly, Radio 1 appeal).
RAY STEVENS: But You Know I Love You; The Minority (Monument MON 1047).
Monument are now, not unnaturally, trying to get some hit mileage out of their old (and good) Stevens product. Since this jerky slowie was a hit for both the First Edition and Evie Sands in the States, it’s proven material – but here….? Kinda lack-lustre. They should re-release “Mr. Businessman,” instead.
RICHARD HARRIS: Ballad Of “A Man Called Horse”; The Morning Of The Mourning Of Another Kennedy (Stateside).
Saw Richard’s “Cromwell” the other day – a groovy movie. This ain’t too tuff, though. As for the flip…..!
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