Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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4k^\ ip" ,m,"x siil /t / ri y iLr i By Wayne Doleski Oamtcock Staff Writer Bish by Stephen Bishop (ABC) I'm constantly hearing facts concerning sugar and how we humans take in excessive amounts of this sweet stuff. I'm inclined to be concerned about my onrI tkior/ifnrn Q?r? urnrrioH nKnnt mv intnlrA nf IlCaiUl ClliVA, WIVIVIV1V, utll TTW1I4VM J mmmwmmmrn.w ? Stephen Bishop. Bishop's second album, Bish, has recently been released, and this is definitely sweet, sappy stuff, which has hit my sweet tooth. I can't deny it; there is something about Bishop that I find irresistable, but I don't like admitting it. Bish contains 12 carefully crafted pop numbers that mm 11 cnrolv rtloaco nHmirorc nf rnrolcBG nnH u/ill possibly capture a few new devotees. There are now few clever pop writers or arrangers, and Bishop has an original, creative mind which is immediately recognizable in his songs. Bishop produces genuine pop music, which does not include such things as Shaun Cassidy bubblejunk or Barry Manilow mass-produced nonsense. Real pop music is Cheap Trick or Andy Pratt: cute lyrics and catchy choruses, with a brain behind them. Stephen Bishop has earned his place in this crowd, or perhaps more accurately, his small gathering. THE STEPHEN BISHOP story began in 1975 when he started playing clubs in California and trying to peddle his tapes to various record company folks. In 1976 Bishop could be found doing the same things. There was still no recording contract, but he got a break when Art Garfunkel did two of his songs on I DIIA1A 1 3888 for infformatio and appointments ;3^" T*T '"J- J X * I jj j&Br^jb&& flliilllj\wHF JSM 'l iT#t vAAr ^BPBMBWM|^^^j? X? J J J J" #w t x >j^HBoi^BH8MKW^ ^wg \ Album Reviews n 1 T\ 1 Stephen msnop s to love theme; Rc i Trower makes el I <fl)raalratirQir" A moAr/^inrt nnnf?*n^f tirtfk A DP ju>a vunu fvaj n i wvi uiiig i?uiiu ovi vtiui riuv Records followed, and Bishop was ready to put something on vinyl. That first album, Careless, went 1 platinum and spawned two hit singles, "On and On" and "Save it For A Rainy Day". Bishop will probably need a couple hits off Bish to 1 approach the sales volume of Careless, and the first 1 single, "Everybody Needs Love," should be a great 1 start. The new single is a rocker (by Bishop's stan- i dards) and has the strongest chorus of any time on the album. The first song on the album is "If I Only Had A Brain" from "The Wizard Of Oz" and features Ed Shaugnessy on drums. The rest of side one is dedicated to Bishop's favorite topic ? love ? and we find him in various stages of romantic feelings. He often writes of his discouragement as a youngster when "the jocks got all the girls." Those days are over for Bishop, but he hasn't forgotten them. "Bish's Hideaway" serves as the best example: "I remember all the women who cut me deep like footprints in the sand leading away from me" Bishop now appears to be optimistic about love and romance, probably because of his recent success. The majority of the material is upbeat stuff, with an eye looking to the stars. The only song on the album that avoids love as its central theme is "Vagabond From Heaven" which is about Bishop's childhood days with mom and dad. See Bishop, page 12 ALMOST NU ' * "m #--? r* m 3 L1UJVO By Larry Hudson Caravan to Midnight by Robin Trower (Chrysalis) Robin Trower's latest release, Caravan to Midnight, is a marked change in direction for this extremely gifted guitarist. No longer is Trower to be considered a Jimi Hendrix rip-off. Trower's flashy leads are in 11 ? i t cxtcueiu ia?ic, tuiiiyiciiiciiiiii^ James Dewar's throaty vocals and some fine bass work by Rustee Allen. Dewar and Trower share composition credit on all the selections except the title cut, and it is obvious that both musicians are in search of a new direction for the band. This search is an explanation for wide variety of musical styles presented on Caravan to Midnight. rne aioum opens wim My ix>ve (Burning Love)/' one of the two cuts on the record that can be considered a 4'standard" Robin Trower selection. It is solid rock and roll, featuring Dewar's vocal abilities and a short solo by Trower. "Caravan to Midnight" opens with some Pink Floyd-ish sound effects which do nothing to strengthen the song, but they are TSPRESENTS "FV/PN5 THURS BWIWJ not sustained long enough to annoy the listener. The cut is a slow, melodic instrumental, with Trower exhibiting the mellow side of his electric style. "I'm Out To Get You" is a unique combination of Trower's driving sound coupled with some funky bass work by Allen; it is also possibly the best selection on the album. CLOSING OUT side one is "Lost in Love," a strange song that exemplifies the extreme diversity presented on this album. The listpnpr will hnup fa HptiHp far himself who Trower is imitating, if, indeed he is imitating anyone. Side two opens with "Fool," and here the band demonstrates the ability to combine a mellow sound with rock and roll within the boundaries of a single selection. Dewar's vocals are quite good in this particular attempt. "It's for You" is straightforward jazz; the vocals are reminiscient of the early Robert Palmer solo albums, and Trower proves beyond a doubt that he can play jazz as well as rock. THE NEXT cut, "Birthday Boy/' is guaranteed to shock anyone who is a Trower fan. The See Trower, page 12 " I ONG" -FRI-SAT Sept. 28,29,30 Wed. NITE FREE Movie it. Open at 4:00 :00 Happy Hour th Student I.D. M NE?-771-9916