Consumer Guide Album

Peter Laughner: Peter Laughner [Koolie EP, 1982]
These club dubs and worktapes aren't for audiophiles, but should convince mere rock-and-rollers that the Cleveland rock critic, a founding and former member of Pere Ubu before he excessed himself to death in 1977, deserves his musical legend. The songwriting is Dylanesque ("Baudelaire") or better ("Sylvia Plath"), the early-Dylan impression uncanny ("Rag Mama"). His guitar moves aren't so undeniable--when I'm feeling world-historic they sound prophetic, but soon the mood passes and they revert to the untutored one-offs and amateur sketches they were. B