UK

Here you find some classics from this "ephemeral" superband (e.g. think of "Presto Vivace" or "Alaska), which represent the peek both in Wetton's career and the top level for Jobson as well (even though I prefer his keyboards in "Danger Money" and of course in their live "Night After Night")..."In the Dead of Night" represents the best tune in this album, an ever-green, thanks to the guitars effects and solos by A. Holdworth, who is able to enrich the music (in spite of being able to disturb just a little bit the keyboards performance by Jobson, if I think of their already mentioned live above, without Allan): well I prefer the keyboard oriented Trio of the second album (where Bozzio replaces Bruford-this latter being more fitted into a sophisticated jazz style and where moreover the keyboards by Jobson perform the job by Holdworth); but here this jazz/progressive rock style, in a strange mix, is so original and unique!! Think of "Nevermore", with the remarkable execution by A.Holdsworth in the intro and the following swing-jazz mood, suddenly interrupted by means of their most inspiring breaks-through of progressive rock...well actually the analogic keyboards by Jobson are important here, even though a bit cold here, and I don't like the sound of the keyboards (unlike in "Night After Night", where "Presto Vivace"/Alaska" are perfect); while regarding the melodic lines, also the good vocal interpretation by John, in spite of being not always at his top, is important: otherwise this tune seems to be perfect to be fitted into the particular style by Bruford on drums, thanks also to the unforgettable parts of electric guitar!! "Thirty years" is elegant, but it doesn't add anything new, in comparison to the other sophisticated tunes; instead "Time to Kill" is better in the live version! The problem was the the coexistence between Allan (who liked to change often his execution) and Eddie (whose solos at the keyboards were always the same): perhaps this is the reason of a certain discontinuity (think of the tepid "By the Light of Day") and besides the sophisticated last track ("Mental Medication", well sung by John) is not the most powerful way to conclude a quite memorable album (probably "Carrying no Cross" from the second album "Danger Money" should have been the perfect conclusion, but nevermind, that's another story and a different line-up too...).