📰 New Pop Singles – Review: Mar. 1973

Chris Welch surveys the week’s new 7" releases with his trademark wit, covering T. Rex, Judy Collins, Lou Reed, Bill Withers, and more in Melody Maker’s March 3, 1973 singles roundup.

A lively Melody Maker singles page where Chris Welch blends humour, sharp critique, and pop‑culture colour while reviewing a diverse batch of new releases.

📰 Key Highlights

• Singles review page in Melody Maker, March 3, 1973

• Written by Chris Welch

• Features reviews of T. Rex, Judy Collins, Lou Reed, Clarence Carter, Howard Werth, Bill Withers, Four Tops, and others

• Includes artist photos and a cartoon illustration

• Reflects early‑’70s UK pop‑rock landscape and chart‑driven culture

• Welch’s writing mixes satire, enthusiasm, and pointed critique

📰 Overview

Chris Welch’s “New Pop Singles” column was a staple of Melody Maker’s early‑’70s coverage, offering a blend of humour, irreverence, and genuine insight. The March 3, 1973 edition captures a moment when glam rock, soul, folk, and MOR pop all competed for chart space. The page features a collage of artist photos — Donny Osmond, T. Rex, Rita Coolidge, Four Tops — alongside Welch’s rapid‑fire commentary on the week’s new 7" releases.

📰 Source Details

Publication / Venue: Melody Maker

Date: March 3, 1973

Issue / Format: Singles review page

Provenance Notes: Sourced from original print scan.

📰 The Story

Welch’s singles page opens with a cartoon guitarist and a grid of artist photos, setting the tone for a playful yet authoritative roundup. His reviews move quickly across genres:

T. Rex receive a typically colourful Welch treatment, focusing on Marc Bolan’s glam swagger and rhythmic punch.

Judy Collins is framed through her folk‑pop clarity and emotional delivery.

Lou Reed appears in the context of his post‑Transformer momentum, with Welch noting the sharpness and edge of his songwriting.

Clarence Carter brings Southern soul grit, contrasted with the smoother pop entries on the page.

Howard Werth and Bill Withers are highlighted for their vocal character and songwriting craft.

Four Tops represent Motown’s enduring presence in the UK singles market.

Welch’s style is conversational, witty, and occasionally surreal — a hallmark of his Melody Maker voice. His reviews often blend cultural references, sideways humour, and quick‑hit judgments, giving the page a lively, personality‑driven energy.

The layout — photos, cartoon, bold artist names — reflects Melody Maker’s early‑’70s design language: busy, eclectic, and visually anchored in the pop world it covered.

📰 Visual Archive

Chris Welch’s “New Pop Singles” page from Melody Maker, March 3, 1973, featuring reviews of T. Rex, Judy Collins, Lou Reed, Bill Withers, and more.

📰 Related Material

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📰 Closing Notes

This singles page captures the eclecticism of early‑’70s pop culture — glam rock, soul, folk, and chart pop all jostling for attention — filtered through Chris Welch’s unmistakable voice.

#MelodyMaker1973 #ChrisWelch #NewPopSingles #TRex #LouReed #BillWithers

📰 Sources

• Melody Maker, March 3, 1973

• Contemporary UK singles charts

• Artist discographies and release histories

📝 Copyright Notice

All magazine scans, photographs, and original text excerpts referenced in this entry remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This Chronicle entry is a transformative, non‑commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference. No ownership of the original material is claimed or implied.