White Rock - RICK WAKEMAN***

White Rock/Searching For Gold/The Loser/The Shoot/Laxx/After The Ball/Montezuma's Revenge/Ice Run

White Rock was a soundtrack album from keyboards maestro Rick Wakeman to celebrate the winter Olympics. It demonstrates his versatility on a variety of instruments and musical styles. (US:126 UK:14)

“One of the albums I've enjoyed since I became familiar with his solo career is White Rock. An instrumental album made especially for the winter games from Innsbruck. The arrangements here are well balanced, well performed; some parts are slower some with more vim, but in the end an enjoyable record.”

“Rick is very talented and managed to come up with some good arrangements, not spectacular but pleasant most of the time. He was a very versatile musician; he can go from more upbeat tempos to slower moments, from almost disco beats to jazzy elements in only few seconds, a very strong and talented keyboard player.”

“Great mini-moog jamming on the title track: this is a lost Wakeman classic, and his best soundtrack. It does indeed sound cold, like a winter-themed album should.”

“This album is OK, but nothing really stands out. You get the usual flurry of keyboards from Wakeman, but the imagination is missing. The music seems to be all pizzazz, and little substance. I also can't stand boy choirs on rock albums, and here you get two doses.”

“This record has many excellent piano and floating mellotron parts. Organ, clavinet and mini moog are also in the mix. The record is rather melodic, but it is also dynamic, nervous, even borderline strident, and contains some good choir arrangements. The compositions are less progressive than usual and simpler.”

“All in all, a delightful mix of instruments from classical to choral to synthesizer, with that glorious Moog cutting through everything else, just to remind you who is playing it. However I think I love Rick's piano on this album even more. All the instruments complement each other so well. Even though Rick seems to be using a hundred different sounds, they never get in each other's way and it all ties together superbly. A very satisfying experience technically and emotionally.”

“White Rock is much more than just a soundtrack album. It is an emotional trip through feelings of triumph and defeat.”

Festival – SANTANA***

Carnaval/Let The Children Play/Jugando/Give Me Love/Verao Vermelho/Let The Music Set You Free/ Revelations/Reach Up/The River/Try A Little Harder/Maria Caracoles

Festival is similar to many Santana albums of this period featuring a mixture of funk, Latin, jazz, fusion and disco. His popularity had significantly reduced compared with a few years earlier. (US:27 UK:27)

”An album that remains a curiosity, but far from a go to. Very good moments on here, as well as the very bad R & B meanderings that can fall flat with the Santana band when they venture into this category. Festival is easy on the ears while remaining rhythmic smooth funk, Latin, and plenty of Carlos Santana guitar.”

“Festival may be Santana's most commercial-sounding album up to the date, but the pop world is ambiguous and the album became Santana's least successful in the charts. I like all tracks at least a little, though sometimes it feels like the essential content of this album is a few phrases that are repeated over and over again.”

“Santana has just emerged from the 70s fusion movement, having played with some of the best jazzmen around. However, this is not in evidence on this unfortunate hodgepodge of rock, disco and mediocre Latin music.”

“This album suffers from the same problem as most of Santana's later albums -- there's just not much there. The melodies are still catchy, Carlos's guitar is scorching, and the danceable Latin rhythms are still there, but the music is bland and the musicians are faceless. There are high points, particularly on the opening trilogy of songs.”

”It's an early example of Santana's penchant for cashing in on the current trends. The only thing of value here is the Brazilian-flavoured Let The Children Play medley. Those who like Santana's more adventurous, jazzier side, are advised to stay away from this.”

“Overall, Festival contains its share of jazziness but it's more about the chanting than anything else, with a combination of ballads, energetic ideas and pretty good sparsely used guitar playing.”

Lost Without Your Love - BREAD***

Hooked On You/She's The Only One/Lost Without Your Love/Change Of Heart/Belonging/Fly Away/Lay Your Money Down/The Chosen One/Today's The First Day/Hold Tight/Our Lady Of Sorrow

Lost Without Your Love was the reunion album from the soft-rock group Bread released several years after their last. However, after this one they would split up permanently. The title track was a US top ten hit single. (US:26 UK:17)

“This was the comeback LP for Bread as they had broken up a few years earlier. This one almost exclusively consists of Bread's trademark soft rock ballads. Most of them hit the mark straight on the bull’s-eye, but there are not enough rockers to balance them out, and one loses interest after awhile.”

“Bread's last studio album is a pretty average piece of soft rock. The title track is a good pop song and it's the real highlight of this album. Some nice moments can be found elsewhere.”

“Fortunately, these songs stand up to many of Bread's finest. Opening with the catchy melody of Hooked On You the listener is intrigued enough to pay attention to all the cuts. Even years after their last release, the definitive Bread sound is there, and still sounding fresh.”

“Bread accomplished so much when they were together; their musical legacy never ceases to impress me. I highly recommend this album for their fans; and people just getting into the sound of Bread will love this album too.”

“This album goes from bright and cheery (Hold Tight) to dark and tragic (Our Lady Of Sorrow) There is a lot of keyboard/organ and it has the feel of the turbulent seventies to it. David Gates, whose voice was the defining factor through the years, was as splendid as ever.”

“The Bread history in a nutshell: five albums for Elektra from 1969-1972, every one essential to fans of the group, and all deep with both hits and excellent album cuts. Excellent singing, playing, arranging and writing are reflected on every one of those first five. Then Bread broke up for a few years, eventually re-emerging for what would prove their swansong, Lost Without Your Love. This is a decent album, with some good-to-very-good songs. But it doesn't have the magic of the first five. It has a certain feel of a group going through the motions, but not entirely committed.”

Luxury Liner - EMMYLOU HARRIS****

Luxury Liner/Pancho & Lefty/Making Believe/You're Supposed To Be Feeling Good/I'll Be Your Santone Rose/ (You Never Can Tell) C'est La Vie/When I Stop Dreaming/Hello Stranger/She/Tulsa Queen

The well received Luxury Liner reflected the vocal talent of country-rock singer Emmylou Harris at the height of her popularity. This would be relatively short lived as future albums charted appreciably lower. (US:21 UK:17)

“This album showcases the amazing voice that Emmylou Harris is blessed with, stunningly beautiful. It offers both the rock side of country; see for example the opening and title track Luxury Liner and the more gentle side of the genre. There is also uplifting songs such as I'll Be Your San Antonio Rose. This is just great, entertaining music.”

“A masterpiece of beautiful, sad, ethereal country music. Everything from the urgent, frenetic title track to the wistful and roaming Tulsa Queen is worthwhile. I relate to these lovelorn songs way too much these days, but there is a spiritual stillness to some of the slow ones that seems to heal all.”

“Of all the early period Emmylou albums I own, this may be my favourite. It’s a mix of songs that's a little bit more attractive, a band that's just a little bit hotter, a singer that's just a little bit more involved.”

“Traditional country music isn’t one of my preferred genres, but if more artists chose material and sang as well as Emmylou Harris that would change in a hurry. Luxury Liner has a near perfect mix of traditional country, progressive country and country-rock music. All of the songs hold up well.”

“It’s simply a timeless set of American music by an ensemble of rising young stars who were on fire with creativity. Luxury Liner was the vehicle that allowed Emmylou Harris and the Hot Band to show the world the amazing complexity and greatness of their musical soul.”

“For anyone who hasn't heard the phenomenon that is Emmylou Harris' clear-blue bell-like young voice, this disc will tilt you back like a mountain breeze on a June day.”

Low - DAVID BOWIE***

Speed Of Life/Breaking Glass/What In The World/Sound & Vision/Always Crashing In The Same Car/Be My Wife/A New Career In A New Town/Warszawa/Art Decade/Weeping Wall/Subterraneans

Low is the first of David Bowie’s ‘Berlin Trilogy’ collaboration with Brian Eno. The first side consists of fairly accessible pop songs, with side two comprising more experimental instrumental tracks. Features the UK No. 3 hit Sound & Vision. (US:11 UK:2)

“I've always found it a frustrating listen because most of the tracks on side one seem like sketches, as if their creator didn't have enough imagination to fully complete them. Secondly, the ambient side two is pretty dull.”

“After the weak attempt at commercialism that was Young Americans, David Bowie returned to boundary pushing Station To Station. But the question remained, where was Bowie to go next? The answer was further into experimentation and the result of this was a set of albums which remain among Bowie’s most celebrated works, the ‘Berlin trilogy’. The albums saw Bowie deliberately backing away from the limelight, concentrating more on creating new and exciting music than perpetuating public personas.”

“Low is the first of three albums Bowie recorded with Eno in the seventies. It is not an instantly accessible album, as it demands your patience and attention, but rewards it generously. It contains a delightful mix of quirky pop tunes sounding like vignettes of an altered state of mind, and eerie ambient tracks filled with strange alien sounds. A feeling of loneliness and space permeates the album.”

“Bowie's most overrated album. Most of the instrumentals on here are dark sounding which is all well and good, but they go nowhere and aren't very interesting.”

“Side one is Bowie blazing new ground. The album surely influenced many a band and artist. I think the first six songs are as good as anything Bowie has done. However, side two is a total bore. I have no interest in listening to this muzak. Stick to rock; go off on an electronic tangent and what you get is mediocre side two.”

“Some cool songs here - the first half is very good, overall the melodic themes are strong and the arrangements are great. The second half is completely different - moody electronic music. Unlike the frenetic first half these tracks are very downbeat, slow and sad with very strong melodic themes. Some of Bowie's vocalizations are weird here but overall this certainly reflects the mood of the album's title.”

Tejas - ZZ TOP***

Its Only Love/Arrested For Driving While Blind/El Diablo/Snappy Kakkie/Enjoy & Get It On/Ten Dollar Man/Pan Am Highway Blues/Avalon Hideaway/She's A Heartbreaker/Asleep In The Desert

Tejas has been described as a transitional album from the blues-rock band ZZ Top. They would go on to enjoy greater commercial success with the adoption of a more electronic blues sound. (US: 17)

“Tejas drips with flavour. The album features spicy cuts of smokin' Southern-fried barbequed Tex-Mex blues, as only the legendary ZZ Top can pump out on a consistent basis.”

“They are on the cusp, the eighties are coming with huge commercial success for these dudes, and this long player shows a little of what is to come. But they still rock with that great south western blues rock sound that they do so well. Some real toe-tappers on this release, so turn up the volume.”

“Tejas is a transition album for Texas rockers ZZ Top. It is the beginning of their step away from the blues-rock that had brought them fame and a lot of record sales, and towards the 1980s electronic blues that would eventually make them a worldwide phenomenon.”

“This album is as close to progressive rock as ZZ Top ever got, even though the band sacrifices none of it's down and dirty aesthetic. The songs are structured and arranged very creatively, not every tune is a verse-chorus-verse-chorus affair. The group are able to create wonderful, often subtle atmospherics, evoking dusty, Texas landscapes, amongst other things.”

“The blues-rock is no longer quite as straight as it used to be, and where it is, it's not entirely satisfying. They also begin to play around a bit with the kind of studio gimmickry that would spoil later albums.”

“There is a serious lack of energy that drove the band on their earlier works. Fair enough, the boogie and blues is a limited style to work with but ZZ Top to this point worked it well and came up with some interesting themes to hold the attention span, injected with some subtle humour. Unfortunately Tejas lacks much of the inspiration normally associated with the band.”

Wind & Wuthering - GENESIS*****

Eleventh Earl Of Mar/One For The Vine/Your Own Special Way/Wot Gorilla/All In A Mouse's Night/Blood On The Rooftops/Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers/Afterglow

Many fans of the progressive band Genesis considered Wind & Wuthering to be the last album from their classic period. Unfortunately, they would gradually morph into a mainstream pop-rock group. (US:26 UK:7)

“For the most part, the songs work out well, whether it's the grandiose sadness of One For The Vine to the simple beauty of Afterglow. Collins' high and beautiful vocals come through on all the songs he sings. Banks and Hackett take advantage of using all kinds of riffs that complement each other and make the songs memorable, while Rutherford and Collins set a backdrop to all the mystical sounds.”

“Wind & Wuthering often splits Genesis fans into two different groups. Some people call this album the last great Genesis record and the end of their classic period, while others think that this is the first album where the band start to lose their touch. This one has the classic Genesis sound and style but the songwriting isn't as strong as in their more famous and appreciated LPs. I still consider it to be a classic Genesis album, and it's definitely not a bad record.”

“With the departure of Steve Hackett, and the impending toxic influence and demands of the music industry, the demise of Genesis as an innovative progressive force was about to assume the manifestation of a long, slow, decent into their last re-incarnation as a competent, yet hardly innovative, pop-group. Where they would earn a loyal, and perhaps broader, fan base as a pop band they would never again equal their creative output of the early to mid-seventies. This disc is really an excellent effort, although initially dismissed by Genesis fans as being too commercial, it stands up well over time.”

“This is the last album to feature guitarist Steve Hackett and after his departure the band would take the unfortunate plunge into radio friendly pop.”

“The era ending was, of course, the critically maligned progressive rock. This was the last Genesis album in their classic, epic fantasy orchestral mode. By the late 1970s it was impossible to ignore the general decay of the prog rock scene, although decent recordings would still pop up from time to time. As such, this album holds special memories for me. Like few other bands, Genesis were able to create a mini alternate universe in their songs.”