Consumer Guide Album

Burton Cummings: Burton Cummings [Portrait, 1976]
"Stand Tall" was a deserving hit that generated a great follow-up: "I'm Scared," the uncommitted prayer for faith of a skeptic who knows the religious tensions of a materialistic epoch firsthand. But when a slickie like Cummings turns rock crooner, credibility is a continuing problem, and while everything else on this honestly crafted solo debut is passable or better, the only other cut I'd call convincing is a big-band mock-up of former small-bandmate Randy Bachman. B