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Nils Lofgren: Cry Tough (A&M SP 4573)

Ken Barnes, Phonograph Record, April 1976

DEFINITELY A star cover. Great guitar hero pose of Lofgren coolly firing away, shrouded in a purple haze — by far his most sympathetic cover art and a sureshot to sell albums. The perfect title too — Cry Tough sums up both sides of Nils Lofgren's musical personality. There's the vulnerable side, revealed in yearning songs from albums past, like 'Soft Fun' and 'I Don't Want to Know'; and in wistful vocal performances known to bring lumps to the throats of the most case-hardened curmudgeons and critics. Then there's the defiant side — the cocky on stage pose, brash guitar, harder-edged vocals, and the aggressive stance of 'Love Or Else' and 'Back It Up'.

Total word count of piece: 675

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