POCO ENTERTAINS BUT DOESN'T EXCITE

By Joe Gracey

Austin Statesman

Listening to Poco is like listening to your own past. The influences are highly recognizable. The first one that springs to mind is Buffalo Springfield. Poco plays in much the same straightforeward, country-oriented style, with subtle guitar work and not quite funky steel and dobro.

 

The second obvious influence is the post-war pedal steel honky-tonk country music. While not as down home as say, Freda, Poco retains that kind of swing-band feel that the Austin long-haired country bands have captured.

 

The man hired to replace Jim Messina (a not so enviable spot) is named Paul Cotton. In him I heard variations on a theme by alternately, Stephen Stills and Neil Young, especially in his vocals. He was featured on some fine new material on Poco's upcoming album release.

 

This was an enjoyable concert, played before a full house, but it points up a feeling I am having more and more concerning the concert idea. With a group like Poco, the seats of the Municipal Auditorium are just too far away and too "seat-like" to create a very loose environment.