Last original studio album by the combo before the 1992 "Black Moon". By time for recording the band was already on the edge of breakup, but as they had contract for one more Atlantic album pulled it together for sessions at a studio in Bahamas. Finished in short time and according to Keith Emerson everybody but him "wanted to get the hell out of Nassau", so he stayed behind and pulled the recordings together by himself. At time for release the album failed both with critics and audience - only reaching #55 on Billboard - yet continued steady slow sales and eventually went gold. I didn't embrace it back then, but listening today it's not bad at all. Even if made hastily and out of duty rather than inspiration there was still too much talent involved to make it an artistic failure. With one side dominated by Greg Lake and the other by Keith Emerson and coming through as melodic rather than experimental it's more like "Trilogy" than "Brain Salad Surgery". Side one is filled with well written songs containing quite a few catchy moments and side two's symphonic presentation just hides a couple of more good songs. The instrumental backing is sufficiant and you get lots of Greg Lake's fetching vocals. Maybe not their best, but to my taste better than many other contemporary issues in the genre. Released all over the world on vinyl, cassette and CD through the years. UK first on Atlantic (K 50552). Premiere US had label as shown here, glossy cover, brown inner and "tour gear" insert (sadly missing on this copy). (YZÄ*) (ÄPY*)
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