fine" UPEf "'S'UN ,‘mursaayimeb . l6; £1978, ,” rige ,

record “

rview

Henry Chilko

Gordon Lightfoot: Endless Wire, Warner Bros. K88 3149

‘Ihese ,ten songs on Lightfoot's latest album have the simple lines characteristic of folk music. But if you haven'tlistened closely of late, the recordings of the Native Son .are graying increasingly richly produced. A few numbers herein have even mounted the stairway to symphonic heaven.

me opener, M Katy, might be a stronger single, if it is released, than the song we are ' hearing (The Circle is Small) . Katy has a

leasant Caribbean hook lflplanted in‘ a ‘ cushioned Strings—and— guitar sound. It is a significant that Light- foot's contribution to the album as vocalist and guitarist is listed fourth in the credits.

Who's first? A Mr. Riley, fOr his string orchestrations.

The evolution to, . SymphonicFokv (SF) in- Cludes Song- sections, ‘1 more like movements than stanzas. Nothing in the setisaspunchyas’ ‘ Sundown or as strong as _the Edmund Fitzgraid. Even in an uptempo piece like Han Hotel Room, a tearing electric guitar. ‘ lead has been electroni- cally softened. and Gordon :5 voice is sate- how disembodied in all the multi-tracking.

It isn't that SF is necessarily evil; just that it is a tricky business making sure the tail doesn't wag the dog. 'It marks well inrone caring andcared—for song, If Children Had Wings, where the exotic intrum— entation is controlled instead of controlling.

There is something for everyone. Besides the Caribbean SF touch, there is a Motown SF touch (1: 'I'lierie's a Reason) , a Stmesesque SF touch _ (Satetimes I Don't Mind) I and one that reminds You of the, old balladeer Lightfoot (Sweet ‘ Guj.nevere)~. For years, LithfOOt was famous as the writer who could make good songs "without resorting to the tired BOY Ioves'Girl theme. 'IWo

songs on this album are in a bitter Vein of this The AM hit provides a good indication of the feelof Endless Wire. nghtfoot is camendably challenging more complex musical forms, but sometimes one wishes for simpler productions and sometimes the challenger gets mauled by the studio,

Raunch Radley: Guitar Gig, Redita 103

For every Atkins, Benson

and Hendrix there are many

guitarists ,of talent and ‘

ability but no recognition.

This journeyman (apt term!)

of great'verstility (acou- stic, electric steal and slide) is only reviewed by a stroke of luck. One for— gettable evening in Toronto I had been sent by' a friend to see a folkette at a dinghy club. It turned out the folkette was endow— ed extremely but not in a

Jan ny Jung Simon Fraser Unlversit Vancouver, .C.

vocal sense. 'Radley, to make a long story short, was backing her with his scruffy band and came on with a schorching after— hours set.

'me album, although all studio instrumentals, does justice to that memorable evening. Radley, I should inform you, is a 50's pur- ist stuck inside the 70's. His "Rising Sun" reminds you of a Santo and Johny jam session. The jazzy electric piano of Scott

'Parker (Charlie ' s younger

brother) provides a strange— ly beautiful counterpoint. Radley does his own tunes too. "Ratfeather Gumbo" is what happens when a gentle soul from Dixie meets Los Angeles: the pedal steel comes at you like a freight train with a razor blade for a cow— catcher.

There are fourteen tunes, recording the pulse of 7 other cities. They range from "Pineapple

Mariette Stoop George Brown College Toronto, Ontario

Debra Evans ‘ Saint john School of Nursing Saintjohn, N.B.

f 11‘

isrANc , wepsmxzs

Blues", which is a cross pollination of Nashville and Honolulu much truer than Prssley's "Blue Hawaii" ,to Fahey—like blues and a rockin' version of the usually depressing standard "Motherless Children". Radley is much more famous in Europe, as often happens with artists too sensitive for North American mass-producedstar— dom. Still, Raunch somehow persuaded name musicians like L.J. Haggett; Pittman Putnam, Andrew Winston and Hank Davis to join

The steady slap bass of

the latter was more re-- freshing in his age of omni— present Fenders.

Congratulations on having won a brand new Mini, the ' Long Distance economy car. . We hope you have many years of enjoyable driving. And thanks to the 48,427 other students who participated.

Long Distance

1, TrangCanada Telephone System

——.c’ J