ALVIN LEE - Pump Iron (Columbia) :: Once upon a time World’s Fastest Guitarist, Alvin Lee today displays all the agility of a barrel of snails. In place of the once blazing guitar, inaudible mumblings — shabby imitations of soulful vocals — are offered. But finally, Pump Iron is essentially the same album that Alvin Lee, with or without Ten Years After, has been putting out for the past seven years. E.G.

STRAWBS - Ghosts (A&M) :: If you ever wondered what Cat Stevens would sound like singing Ian Anderson, try some of this: the title cut. “Starshine/Angel Wine,” and “The Life Auction.” If you forgot what Cat sounds like, try “Where Do You Go.” If you forgot What the Strawbs sound like, get Hero and Heroine. T.M. JEFFERSON STARSHIP - Red Octopus (Grunt) :: And they said “Come the summer of ’75/All the world is gonna come alive.” Well? We’ve got “Miracles,” “There Will Be Love,” and “Fast Buc Freddy.” Precious little else. I want my “MauMau”! T.M.