WILLIE ALEXANDER & THE CONFESSIONS—A Girl Like You (New Rose import):: Willie Loco, lest you forget, was an early trailblazer in the indie 45 field ("Mass Ave" b/w "Kerouac") as well as a spearhead figure in the whole Bosstown new wave/punk upheaval of '76-77. Over the years he's taken his fair share of knocks and, outside of Beantown, the boosts have been few and far between. A Girl Like You does have its flaws (like a weak second side and shaky covers of Otis and Jerry Lee), but the title cut and "Oh Daddy Oh" indisputably prove that he hasn't lost his ga-ga grip on life. Good to hear that Willie's still got some of the ol' boom-boom left in him. C.Z.

JOHN WARREN—Advance Warning (Condor):: Not just one guy, but Mr. Warren as lead mouthpiece for a whole bunch of slick older Boston hippies, out to make a heavee-statement concept album about nuke proliferation and the resultant holocausts. Worthy sentiments for sure, but Wanen's squealy proto-Rindy Ross vocals and the band's Styx-like bloato lyric sensitivity are hardly the stuff peace marches are made of. And those Dooboid backup vokes merely invite firststrike capabilities around this household. Plus a rather sinisterly pedophiliac (?) cover photo, for that final touch of scrambled brains. If you're still interested, try Condor at Box 955, Brookline, MA 02146 R.R.