SAFETY IN NUMBERS

A very enjoyable album, if not the best for Crack the Sky, ''Safety in Numbers'' has a bit of everything: prog epics (and probably the best two songs of the album) in ''Nuclear Apathy'' and the title track, outright rockers with perplexed guitar playing (''Flashlight'', ''Lighten Up McGraw'', ''Give Myself to You'') and mellower moments in the pleasant ''Long Nights'' and the rather disappointing ''A Night on the Town''. Actually there is a strong Queen feeling on the latter but also on several moments through the album that remind us of May's guitar playing or Freddie's melodies, both from the creative 70's and the poppy 80's era. The influence of Styx and Boston can be found in ''Long Nights'', pertinent to the era when this album was released.

There is a hefty dose of talent in the group, for who I understand this was the last worth-noting album back then. The guitar/bass syncopation heard in songs like ''Flashlight'' well place this album into the "creative hard rock" category. The rocky feeling of Led Zeppelin-meets-Rush is delightful through ''Lighten Up McGraw'' and the heavier parts of ''Nuclear Apathy''.

Perhaps not the masterpiece it promises to be, ticking on just over 36 minutes this is a nice heavy/prog rock album with some memorable moments and enjoyable diversity which would keep the listener nodding their heads smoothly throughout.

3.5 stars