SHAMAL

The band is captured here in the middle of an awkward transition phase. The old Gong sound is gone, and there are glimpses here of the Gong sound to come, but it's unrefined and a little dull. The uninspired soul and funk excursions don't help matters, but the biggest problem is that there are just no truly outstanding instrumentalists present (except maybe Pierre Moerlen) who are able to make these tunes come to life; Didier Malherbe is a cute little fellow but he's clearly out of his element here. "Mandrake" and the first half of "Chandra" are highlights that point the way to Moerlen's future compositions, and "Cat In Clark's Shoes" is simply a hoot. Certainly not a bad album, but most listeners will probably find more of interest in its successors, most of which prominently feature ace jazz guitar players to liven up the experience.