When I first heard about this back then I was excited - Brooker, Keith Reed, Matthew Fisher and B.J. Wilson on the same album was like the return of Procol Harum. And with his previous very good solo album "Lead Me To The Water" in mind I expected something great. Sadly it didn't live up to those expectations. Nothing to do with the ground work - the songs are well written, melodic with interesting lyrics, and his voice still holds - but the arrangements and instrumentation really annoys me. Most of the tracks have synths as main setting, some of the drums comes with an eighties "whiplash" sound and there's too much reverb. All that may have been fine for the new aspiring bands of the decade, but Brooker and the guys was from one of the most prominent sixties/seventies combos, who did their best on four or eight channels, all natural with no warping. The affected sound here just doesn't fit. Luckily a few of the songs were saved from destruction. "Mr. Blue Day" uses The National Philharmonic Orchestra and has melody and arrangements reminding of "A Salty Dog". "Ghost Train" is dark and heavy, not far from what they did on "Home" album. Finally the mighty ballad "The Long Goodbye" backed by both NTPO and The London Community Gospel Choir. If you wrap living things in too much plastic, parts will sufficate and die. In my world that particular treatment turns this from a four star album to just OK. Early US on Mercury (824652). CD issue on Instant (INCD 9.00076 O). Premiere UK had label as shown here and thin fully laminated cover with picture/lyric/credit insert. (PRÖX*)
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