MIDNIGHT WIRE

This album is obviously the weakest effort of the band so far. I wouldn't necessarily say that this album sound pop; it is just weak.

Song writing is below average, melodies are absent, songs sounds flat and uninspired. Darryl is more than ever on the command and Sonja has apparently recovered from her ''vocal disease'' which was noticeable on their live album.

The global mood is more bluesy (''Orange Street Blues'') or even soulish (''Dance Of Love''), needless to say that none of these genre is able to attract my attention. This album is not a good one to be honest. Some pleasant violin play is probably the best you can expect out of this work, but we are far from the brilliance of the early days of course (''Vivaldi'').

Needless to say that this album is not an essential one. The band released better works in their early days, although I was never thrilled: good music but not great music. With this ''Midnight Wire'', they just went one step below. Not one single good song available. And the attraction of Steward Copeland on percussions in really not enough to make this album interesting.

Two stars: weak to poor.