The Telegraph, Sydney 26th March 1979
by Roger Crosthwaite
COMING FROM REALITY by Rodriguez. Blue Goose MLF269.
Quite a change from Rodriguez’s first album Cold Fact. On Cold Fact Rodriguez sang bitter, disillusioned songs about slums, drug abuse and broken love affairs. Something in between the two albums obviously changed his point of view because Coming From Reality consists mainly of love songs. And not the cynical odes to past affairs of Cold Fact – these ones are full-blown, sentimental Paul McCartney-type love songs. And even the social comment songs on the album seem less bitter and more resigned. The strings have been laid on with a heavy hand, on some tracks providing the only backing to Rodriguez’s guitar and voice. But the voice shines through and the clever poetry on some tracks is as incisive as ever. But don’t expect the same Rodriguez as you heard on Cold Fact.
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