Dobie Gray: Drift Away (MCA)
Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 8 September 1973
THREE PLAYS and this record assumes the kind of easy familiarity usually expected from greatest hits albums. Eleven good cuts, and most of them potential singles. First off, of course, there's that magnificent title track. Lord knows why 'Drift Away' didn't repeat its American success in Britain — it's a brilliant example of an entire song hinging around a chorus line: "Give me the beat boys and free my soul/ I want to get lost in your rock and roll/and drift away." Perfect, you find yourself anticipating the chorus three lines before it comes up.
Total word count of piece: 417