BORN AGAIN

I saw Rare Bird in concert in 1974 but I cannot remember much about the material played except that I wasn't bowled over by it. By then their line-up had changed, the twin keyboard attack being replaced by a much more conventional guitar led set-up. With it went a substantial change in direction - out went Prog, and in came a combination of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Gerry Rafferty and Sad Cafe! Make no mistake, the musicianship on this album is of a high standard, and there are some good songs if you like an Americanised sound combining southern boogie and soft rock, but sadly, there is very little Prog about it. For me, the 3 tracks which stand out are the less Americanised ones: this is not intended as a slur on American music, but merely reflects my personal tastes I guess.

The first of these is Redman, a soft rock piano led song, which has more individuality with some lovely harmonies. With a more English sound somewhat akin to Elton John, it is ironic that native Americans form the subject matter. Peace Of Mind enters Procol Harum territory thanks to a soaring organ, but its mood swings from soft lush harmonies on the verses to sections with a much heavier Deep Purple feel, the only real Prog moment on the album. The Last Tango In Beulah is not the best melody here, but it is an original arrangement with an interesting keyboard riff which picks up and flies to a nice climax. The remainder of the album is straightforward boogie and funk, some up tempo foot tappers, and some slower more reflective ones. All are played to a high standard.

Nothing here really for the average Prog collection, hence my low rating, but it is an enjoyable album thanks to the quality of playing.