Starbuck

Is '70s jazz-pop the next musical style to fall victim to crate-digging nostalgia? Surely snippets of Chicago and Blood, Sweat & Tears have cropped up on a club mix or two, but Starbuck? Well, if the notion does grab some bedroom-ensconced audio auteur, they should stray no further than this debut by the band best known for the MOR-friendly, mid-'70s smash "Moonlight Feels Right." This and the original album's nine other tracks find the Georgia combo plying their jazz- and funk-infused pop by way of marimba runs, synth accents, and keyboardist/producer Bruce Blackman's drowsily svelte vocals (he's the missing link between Barry Manilow and Pavement's Stephen Malkmus, no?). Unfortunately, the quality of the album material is not matched by the five bonus CD tracks included from the group's obscenely titled second release, Rock 'n' Roll Rocket: All the snap and groove of the earlier cuts is replaced by leaden rhythm tracks and unimaginative arrangements. Still, this is certainly a worthwhile album for listeners wanting to delve beyond the surface of '70s Top 40. ~ Stephen Cook, All Music Guide