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Lavender Jane Loves Women (distributed by Olivia Records, available at Coventry Books, 1824 Coventry Road, Cleveland Hts., Ohio 44106)
There is little quite as exhilarating as lesbian/feminist music; the struggle for selfactualization, the feeling of sisterhood, the acoustic human. Largely brainwashed by their heterosexual male counterparts who "hold all the cards," gay men, in contrast, are only beginning to develop a culture separate from any straight context.
Originally recorded in 1975, Lavender Jane Loves Women vibrates with an unchained burst of joy. There is an unpretentiousness, an opening which proudly proves you don't need heavy production to communicate. The primary vehicle is folk, and there are many songs of the lesbian heritage. Yet, what makes this album a profoundly creative one is the coupling of American folk with European, and especially Eastern European rural ditties. "Jovanna," a 'Macedonian Woman's Dance' is delightful and showcases beautifully the intermingling of harmonic and monotonic systems which is so characteristic of Eastern Europe folk music.
An alluring nakedness is successfully achieved in a Scottish tale which features only the voice of Alix Dobkin and a tambourine. But the most openly lesbian love tributes are where the highlights shine. Here the two standouts are "Talking Les-
bian" which is based on "Talking Union" as sung by Pete Seeger and "View From Gay Head" which one can hear often on Radio Free Lambda. The latter is a brilliant concoction of a "message refrain" with a haunting, childlike flare which stays long in your head after the record is off the turntable.
In one sense, Lavender Jane Loves Women makes this reviewer sad. It is unfortunate that gay male musicians have yet to show the spirit of communion that our gay sisters have. Outside of the sexual sphere, gay men have yet to liberate themselves into the larger sociopolitical structure which is antithetical to the male heterosexual hierarchy. After all, history has oppressed us as much as our sisters.
Lavender Janes Loves Women, in itself, holds no equal. It is a celebration of lesbian sisterhood, and as well, a striking challenge to gay males to lead all men into a new conciousness.
Chameleon (Labelle, Epic Records), Labelle hasn't had a hit single since "Lady Marmelade." Yet the women persist, largely due to their experimental ventures in blues, disco, jazz and rock and songwriter Nona Hendryx. Ms. Hendryx who Phonograph Magazine called "a fiercely proud lesbian' generates an excitement which is as powerful as it is awesome.
Linked with a menagerie of instruments including standard guitars and percussion, horns, timbales, arp strings and flashy keyboards, Labelle rivals the vocal outputs and respected status of Aretha Franklin and Tina Turner. This is not a disco album. The flavor smacks more of jazz than anything else. Some might think the selections a bit long, but the creative noise abounds.
Ms. Hendryx's biting poetry layed back on rock influenced jams is sometimes political,
TOP TEN DISCO
1. Best Disco In Town
sometimes romantic, but never dreary. The style fits well into the imploring pleas of gospel that spike this effort. No song is openly lesbian, but then Ms. Hendryx has always striven for universality.
Labelle has yet to capture on record the spell it so effectively casts live on stage. No matter, they do what they do well and in this age of market mediocrity, Labelle stands out, tall and strong.
Coming Out (The Manhattan Transfer, Atlantic Records) The Manhattan Transfer have come into the seventies. While on their
last LP they primarily utilized 30's-40's nostalgia effects, this time around they are ever so eclectic. When this decade passes musicologists will view Coming Out as a truly landmark statement. Why? Because unlike any other singing unit, the Manhatten Transfer has successfully pulled off the synthesis of the bacardi 40's, the ne'er a care rock of the fifties, the Motor City soul of the sixties and the calculated disco of today.
Coming Out is campy in spots, emotion-laden in others, peccably produced by Richard and well, just generally gay. ImPerry, there is a little something here for everyone a Supremelike saxo-version of "Helpless," a gentle blending of Todd Rundgren's "It Wouldn't Make Any Difference," and "Scotch and Soda" a beautifully rendered 40's
take of intoxicated
romance.
"Zindy Lou" : Can you imagine the "Lion Sleeps Tonight" Tokens doing disco? Inevitably, this is where the All Night Strut is going.
Equal representation....Ringo Starr caresses drums...Latino rhumbas wail....popsicle toes hang poinciana .Love, Sex, Highs......Coming Out is truly a classic effort.....
trees.
Disco Playlist Provided by Dennis Cox, DJ
Ritchie Family
from
by Frank Savage
2. You Should Be Dancing
3. Come On and Ride
4. Who Am I
5. Cherchez La Femme
6. Salsoul 3001
7. I Want To Funk With You Tonight
Me Love
10. Get Up Offa That Thing
Marlin
Bee Gees
Enchantment
RSO Desert Moon
Quickest Way Out
WB
Dr. Buzzard's Savannah Band
RCA
Salsoul Orchestra
Salsoul
Giorgio
Casablanca
Undisputed Truth
Whitfield
Columb
Polydor
Earth, Wind, Fire
James Brown
8. You
ENDER JANE