Word: drum
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...musicians were of many Black musical persuasions, yet their different sounds have one commonality--rhythm, the gift from Africa. Rhythm is existence, the beating of a heart, the in-and ex-hale of breath. Rhythm is life. It has to be, for as Duke Ellington tells us, "a drum is a woman...
...music to all the songs in this package, and the music, at least, is intermittently promising. Ironically for an artist so insistent on the importance of an independent identity, her style at its best is strikingly similar to John Lennon's. Her band will come in with a bouncy drum and guitar introduction or a warm harmony of guitar and piano. Then inevitably she starts singing. It's really a shame...
...TITLE SONG is instant deception. Harder rock than anything since "Medicated Goo," as well as the first song based completely on Rebop's congas. He's way up in the mix, leaving Hawkins to keep the band in place with fundamental bass drum and snare work. The rhythm section is pure and simple; the emphasis is on drive and pace, rather than distinction in style or riff. Winwood provides the power, emphasizing the drive with fuzz rhythm guitar, mixed way up--rhythm guitar and congas are the two most prominent sounds on the song. That fuzz guitar adds an edge...
...Evening Blue" is the only artistic failure. It's a nice melody, badly realized. The failures are mostly Roger Hawkins's. His snare drum work is flat, and detracts from the overall lightness. So do Rebop's congas. Wood's sax solo is short, disjointed and cliched. The song's saving grace is Steve's guitar. "Evening Blue" is a mood piece, with a pastoral opening out of "John Barleycorn." It would have been successful given the same spare treatment...
RICHARD PERRY, independent producer for Ella Fitzgerald, Barbra Streisand, Harry Nilsson and Carly Simon, among others. At 30, hottest freelance in business. Discovered both Tiny Tim and Captain Beefheart. Conceives albums in manner of Hollywood director. Added drum crescendos that give Simon's You're So Vain special contemporary sound. Has loved pop music ever since he attended one of Alan Freed's rock-'n'-roll shows as a kid in Brooklyn in 1954. Earnings from sales and royalty percentages are well into six figures a year (last year: about $250,000). Sometimes agrees...