RHAPSODIES

This album was indeed rick's turning point, into a world of thrown up albums, just for the sake of trying to line his pockets. Overhaul Rhapsodies is good, but not that good. If you listened to what went on, of rick's work, on his previous albums. You would have to say, what the hell is going on here. The kind of material on Rhapsodies, is the light entertainment variety they play on Jobfinder when the TV closes down for the night. The playing is still good though never the less, but it sounds like its coming from one of those nasty wooden organs, with 3 rows of keys on and a load of rhythms built in.

This album is really a collectors piece, and one which you would own and give little play time to. However it is a lot better than nearly all the stuff he has brought out since, with the exception of: Rock and Roll Prophet, Live at Hammersmith and Live in Concert 2000, Rhapsodies out shines the rest. The thing is with Rick is that, although he is a superb keyboard player, he just is not a very good writer of music. I think what his son Oliver has done with Clive Nolan, with Jabberwocky and The Hound Of the Baskervilles is far more better than what Rick is capable of writing. It is also a great shame that Rick's No Earthly connection, White Rock and Criminal Record have not been re issued onto CD like his first 3 albums have.