Maria Muldaur

My favorite sleeper of 1973 is about to break into the Top Ten. Since its release eight
months ago, Maria Muldaur tirelessly has worked the clubs and second bills of concerts in
every part of the country. Her album has become an FM staple and grown steadily outward
from its original status as a cult item. Equally important, Reprise believed in both her and
her single, "Midnight at the Oasis" (written by her excellent guitarist David Nichte... More >

Cut by cut, this bid to contemporize Maria's nouveau-jug music (two songs each from Wendy Waldman and David Nichtern, one each from Dr. John and Kate McGarrigle) is intelligent and attractive. But the overall effect is just slightly aimless and sterile. Maybe it's Muldaur's quavery voice, which only rarely has driven me to attention, or the low-risk flawlessness of the Lenny Waronker/Joe Boyd production. Or maybe it's just the curse of the jugheads--not knowing how to make good on your flirtations with nostalgia. (Grade: B+)