albums
‘Tower
of
Power
is
one
to
get
before
AM
stations
exploit
it
all
"Tower of Power"
Tower of Power
Warner Brothers
Copyright 1973
Tower of Power may have their “East Bay Grease" burned by the
fires of AM overkill, but their new album stands as tight, professional
achievement undeserving of such a fate.
The album, like most of Tower of Power’s music, features tight
vocal harmonies, a well-rehearsed, extensive brass section that never
loses its lip. and driving beats coupled with a soul-styled lead singer.
The cuts on the album average three minutes of driving, punching
melodies, with a variety of tempos ranging from the quick, hard bass
drive of “What is Hip" to the slow, melodic “So Very Hard to Go."
It’s music that’s easy to listen to, not demanding too much at
tention or a great degree of intellectualizing.
It’s those qualities which may doom the album to the boredom of
taking cute melodies and screwing them to the post of background
music to drive to.
Those qualities have already killed, at least for me. the first cut,
“So Very Hard to Go.” Before AM got hold of it, it was a pretty,,
deceptively complicated tune.
But the combination of a night-watchman’s job coupled with an
AM radio and constant repetition, hour by hour, tired me quickly of the
piece — a piece, that if left to FM or the stereo, would have lasted
longer than a DJ’s rap.
That fate awaits at least two other cuts that have the potential to
become AM blockbusters and may doom the album to the eternal
insignificance of a push button car radio.
The album doesn’t deserve such a horrid fate. Tower of Power is
one of the few groups which reproduces its studio cuts faithfully on
stage — at a concert last March in Eugene, their numbers were just as
tight, just as musically professional as the numbers on their album.
Many groups use horn backing in the studio and leave the trumpet
offstage — Tower of Power doesn’t change the arrangement. Seeing
them play lends a greater understanding to the skill of the group’s
musicians — without even a quarter-rest, the horn section would
switch from vocal harmonizing to instrumental orchestrations,
without missing a beat, sounding weak, or chopping a note. And all this
in the twinkling of an eye. The choreography of heads winging from
mike to instrument is fascinating to watch — and even better to hear.
It’s a good album, albeit without “socially redeeming” values.
Listen to it before AM gets hold of the rest of it.
Scott Spittal
“A Wizard, a True Star”
Todd Rundgren
Bears ville Records
BR2133
Copyright 1973
There is always the danger that one will become hyperbolic, that
the lure of promotional records and press release flack will drive any
critical faculties completely away. Hie normal tone of the press
releases that accompany these records is restrained ecstasy. We are
told it is a work of mature genius, etc. Usually, I discard the press
release with the plastic shrink wrap. But. this time I think they might
be right. Todd Rundgren just may have done it.
After two weeks of listening, I can’t find any glib answer about
what Rundgren is trying to do, and what is really galling is Rundgren
probably wanted it that way.
Rundgren calls the record “A Wizard, A True Star,” a conceit he
disclaims cm the record sleeve. “I’m not a real star. I’m just a musical
representative of certain human tendencies—the Quest for Knowledge
and the Quest for Love. Knowledge comes to a lucky few. Love comes
to anyone with the Knowledge to recognize it. At any rate, we should
have fun looking.” If anything, “A Wizard, A True Star” is fun, and
intriguing, and confusing, and fun.
Side one: “Hie International (in 8).” The side should appeal to
those who, like me, are fans of absurdist humor. The side is meant to
be taken as a whole, so that’s how I’ll treat it. Each of the songs is
connected—just how is not always apparent, but they are (by strange,
avant-garde pop music).
The opening lyric is a taunt. “Here we are again, the start of the
end. but there’s more -1 only want to see if you’ll give up on me - But
there’s always More,” and the conclusion, “I swear something lies in
your ears and your eyes - cause there’s More- You hear and you see yet
you do not believe? That there's always More - (I know),” segues into
"I know a place where dreams are born - and time is never planned.
It’s not on any chart - You must find it with your heart,” from “Neva-,
Never Land.” Every song fits into the (me before and the one that
follows.
Following “Never, Never Land” is “You Need Your Head” and
then “Rock and Roll Pussy .” The next tune is called “You Don’t Have
to Camp Around.”
“Save all your money, go confess on Sunday Sweet Boy.
And get your copy of Honey and back on the streets by Monday
Sweet Boy, but tell me where does that leave me, boy.
Save the satin undies, don’t pluck out your eyebrows.
Stow the mincing lisping, you don’t have to camp around.”
The next tune, “Zen Archer,” fits in musically, but its Zen ab
straction lyrically makes it hard to pin down how it fits conceptually
There’s always more. “Omonhead,” the next in line, has a chorus that
says, “If you want the obvious, you’ll get the obvious,” and we do. Hie
next song is “DaDa Dali,” done to the melody of “Toot, Toot, Tootsie.”
And finally, we hear a reprise of “Le Feel Internationale. ”
The question now is “What does it mean.” What, indeed? Well, it
doesn’t have to mean anything. I won’t impose my thoughts about its
significance on anyone. What I can say is that it is very challenging,
and while I haven’t made up my mind about “The International (in 8)”
yet, I like it.
Hie tide is apparently more traditional, both in form and
content. There are actually breaks between each song. However,
chastened by my experience on side one, I listened cautiously. On a
medley of “I’m So Proud,” “Ooh Baby, Baby,” “La La Means I Love
You ’’ and “Cool Jerk,” I noticed something was amiss. Rundgren’s
arrangements sound like the classic, original versions, but he’s
messed with the time signatures. The astounding thing about it is
“Cool Jerk," doesn’t sound all that odd in 7-6 time.
The side is much more accessible, but the whimsical tone shows
up in “Hungry For Love”:
“Mom’s oid-fashioned cooking, caviar and champagne, a meal at
McDonald’s, nothing fills a man when he’s hungry for love. "
The obverse side of Rundgren’s Dada coin, the late night despair
and the hope that keeps him going on, is made explicit on “Sometimes
I Just Don’t Know What to Feel:”
"... Sometimes I just don’t know what to do,.. sometimes I just
feel so alone . . something makes me stay on my feet, don’t you dare
admit to defeat, if I tell myself it’s all right, I can confront myself it’s
alright and watch another day dawn."
And, “I Don’t Want to Tie You Down”: “Sometimes it’s hard to
look up under the times we’re going through. I scratch my head and
stare and wonder how to face the day anew." The second side may
lead some listeners to the more difficult first side.
Both the music and production are good. Rundgren has wisely not
opted to play all the instruments himself as he did on his previous
albums. Because of the complex production, it is difficult to credit
individual musicians. They are all listed on the record sleeve. So are
the lyrics.
Concluding this review may be the most difficult part of a difficult
review. I am not prepared to state positively whether “A Wizard, A
True Star" is a monument to Rundgren’s pomposity or genius.
Perhaps it is both. A line in “Just One More Victory " comes to mind:
“You may think that I’m a Fool, but I know the answer. Words become
a tool, anyone can use them.”
At this point. I’m inclined to view it as a monument to his genius.
Rolf Hage
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