what Frank is listening to #39 – MARLON McCLAIN – Changes – (Fantasy) – 1981
The front and back cover artwork would indicate some sort of Afro-American rock or funk guitar virtuoso. And, McLain is a guitarist but an incredibly banal one. He calls himself "The Magician"… God knows why … I heard no magic on this LP whatsoever … the only magic I would like to have seen is McLain sawing his guitar in half.
The usual sites have little information on him, though he seems to be associated with the Portland, Oregon music scene. In between solo stints he was guitarist for soul-funk band "Pleasure" in the 70s (who actually were OK if you like your funk disco-fied), later in the 80s he was in a funk-r&b (modern R&B) band called Dazz Band, and then in the 90s he was in another soft funk band called "Shades of Soul". Jeff Lorber (a white guy who plays this kind of crap) plays keyboard for him here also – him and Lorber have often played in bands together and done session work ("The Magician" has done session work for Kenny G amongst others). The Magician has also done a fair bit of producing (though I am yet to find a familiar artist he has produced … I leave it to others to research that if they wish).
Here, the drums are of that 80s reverbed gated snare sound – capital punishment should be used for that alone (that drum sound has its place in futuristic film soundtracks but that's about it). There are also lots of funky horns (but not good 70s funky), a vocoder, keyboards and synths. "Pleasure" put out 10 or so albums so I assume The Magician can play guitar though on this album his guitar virtuosity, if he has any, is kept to a minimum … there are lots of gentle soft smouldering jazz breaks, tbut nothing which would separate him out from a thousand others (though it seems he has always had a smooth jazz bent regardless of who he plays with).
The Magician, though, wrote most of the tracks, sings (lead and background), plays guitar (lead and bass), plays the vocoder, handles the percussion, and co-produces.
He cannot blame anyone else for the results.
The soul / funk / R&B is all too smooth – in fact it's fucken awful … why am I doing this to myself? This is the background music during the rooting scenes of some bad 80s "erotic thriller"… there is a track called "Pastel" which really sums up this album … this is the music that all the coked up, middle-aged Hollywood music wankers loved in the 80s … a pox on them. When people go on about black music, as if can do no wrong, why doesn't someone wave this album around (and about 200 others in the same genre).
The only thing that surprises me, and no doubt surprised The Magician, is why this wasn't a hit in 1981. The Magician has painted by numbers to the littlest detail, all to no avail. This didn't even make the pox ridden R&B charts.
Best tracks:
- "Shake it up" – at least its up-tempo.
- "Can we Still be Friends" is awful but it was written by Todd Rundgren.
It will be on eBay asap.
Sound:
From his other bands:
Arr you pricks reading any of this … just checking.
(originally posted: 01/06/2009)
