Consumer Guide Album

Argent: Argent [Epic, 1970]
"Dance in the Smoke" is to "Time of the Season" as "Time of the Season" was to "She's Not There," extending ex-Zombie keyboardist-vocalist-composer Rod Argent's pop breathiness another quantum away from cuteness and toward incantation. Add ex-Unit 4 + 2 guitarist-composer Russ Ballard's ceremonial "Liar," and the whole first side works as a catchy mystical ritual with the worries of the world going up in flame at the climax. On side two, however, they reappear. B