Blowin Away

With an admittedly terrible album cover, 1977\'s *Blowin\' Away* has all the hallmarks of a singer/songwriter trying to find her way in a changing marketplace. Joan Baez\'s concerns were humanitarian, and the challenging sounds of punk rock and disco made her more of an outsider than ever. Yet she was enjoying success among her generation, and a new record label paired her with commercially aware producer David Kershenbaum, who helped her make her slickest album to date. This adult contemporary folk-pop features plenty of piano and fancy electric keyboards, which are complemented by Baez\'s always-flawless voice. Steve Goodman\'s \"Yellow Coat\" is a very good song, as is Traffic\'s \"Many a Mile to Freedom,\" written by Steve Winwood, and surely a smart remix could remove the dated studio effects. \"Time Rag\" is even further out there: a virtual rap song before nearly anyone was working in this direction. (The Sugarhill Gang\'s \"Rapper\'s Delight\" was a hit in 1979.) \"Alter Boys and the Thief\" is, according to Baez, a tribute to her gay fans.