ISLANDS

Even if this one is quite diferent from their other early 70's releases "Islands" is actually an excellent album by them although it took quite a few spins for me to love it. Maybe because it's a rather quiet and classically influenced one it's not immediately that much captivating and fascinating. But once one had got into the music it's really awesome. Most of the tracks on here are very pleasant and highly enjoyable, only the final part of "Formentera Lady" with the extreme high-pitched vocals and the sax part in the beginning of "Sailor's Tale" are a bit more difficult to support in the beginning. For retrieving maximum pleasure one should certainly be not too sensitive for such tunes. But actually there is not one weak track on here. Highlights? - Well I would almost say all of them. But my favorites are "Sailor's Tale", "Ladies Of The Road", "Prelude: Song Of The Gulls (wonderful pure classical piece!) and "Islands". After the title track there is still a hidden track containing only voice and tuning sound from a concert. Nice joke, not really relevant but neither disturbing at all since it's at the end of the record. I'd like to rate this album with the highest score since IMO it was together with RED (representing best the hard-edged side of them) their best album without any flaws!