‘Standing’ on Uneven Ground

**

WILL GLOVER

“Standing in the Line of Fire”

Mel-Glo

Glover can claim a footnote in rock ‘n’ roll history: As a teenager he sang and played rhythm guitar in the Pyramids, the surf-rock band from Long Beach responsible for one of the genre’s finest moments, the hit “Penetration” in 1964. What’s more, he was the only black musician on the fertile Southern California surf-rock scene.

These days, Glover is based in O.C. and is playing rockin’-country music. His polished-sounding debut CD takes a shot at the heart of the Nashville mainstream, aiming for something akin to Travis Tritt’s hard-driving style.

For a little while, Glover succeeds nicely. The two opening tracks, “Standing in the Line of Fire” and “Dancin’ Around in Circles,” are rollicking, very catchy numbers that make use of his best vocal asset: a piercing but smokey tone, full of vitality and ideal for registering hangdog humor.

The title track is an especially insinuating number in which a travelogue lyric about serial romantic disasters rides atop a zestfully galloping beat.

At slower tempos, Glover doesn’t lack for tunefulness, but his voice doesn’t have the full-bodied presence needed to power his lovelorn ballads and valedictory anthems. The album’s bright production becomes glare-ridden and formulaic after a while; a more folksy, roots-y approach would highlight the warm, mildly grainy and soulful streak in Glover’s voice.

The album ends well with “In Times Like These,” a Doobie Brothers-style mixture of polish and down-home licks, and a romping blues, “Cold Hearted Lover.” Glover shows that he is capable of standing in the line of excellence, but he doesn’t do it consistently enough.

(Available from Mel-Glo Records, P.O. Box 3086, Huntington Beach, CA 92605, or (714) 964-6842).

* Will Glover, the Kari Gaffney Band and the Anthony Rivera Band play tonight at 8 at the Coach House, 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. $13.50-$15.50. (714) 496-8930.

Ratings range from * (poor) to **** (excellent), with three stars denoting a solid recommendation.