HOLIDAYS IN EDEN

The second of my H era band CD revisits, and I can still only award this LP 2.5 stars.

I really don't know why - there are some cracking tracks, some of which such as Cover My Eyes and Waiting to Happen are still fantastic rollocking live pieces by the band. Splintering Heart is a fine opener.

I don't know - it is just that the LP does not seem to hold together well and feels disjointed and...well, wrong!

Certainly, the story told in This Town,This Rakes Progress, and 100 Nights are probably forgotten by all except those of us who are completists and fanatics.

It is as if the band were completely unsure of which direction they wished to take. The commercial singles are, in keeping with tradition, fine pieces, especially Cover My Eyes which deservedly charted.

However, Dry Land, and the title track are simply boring and lack any direction at all.

The playing on the LP is as competent as ever, although I feel it lacks Rothery being in the background too much.

This was the beginning of the end for the mass commercial appeal of the band, and we all waited with baited breath to see where they would go. A lot, I think, gave up after this LP, which is a shame because you missed some great works afterwards!