Consumer Guide Album

Mott the Hoople: Brain Capers [Atlantic, 1972]
After a debut album that pitted imaginative borrowing against imitative self-expression, Mad Shadows and Wild Life descended thrashing and caterwauling into the depths of rock and roll psychodrama--what could one expect of "improvisations" based on such faceless "originals"? So this is a heartening reverse--not only do they unearth Dion's suppressed farewell to junkiedom, "Your Own Back Yard," and a good old Youngbloods number, but they provide originals that can stand behind them. Unfortunately, the two exceptions take up more than twelve minutes. B