BURNING FOR YOU

I used to listen to this a lot back in the early 80ies, but it was never my fave album from the Strawbs. They seemed to strive for AOR-radio-material rather than evolving in a prog direction. Not so strange perhaps, prog was anathema to finding public favour in 1977. This was the year of punk. Unless your name happened to be Fleetwood Mac...

"Burning for me" is a great opening track, but it's mostly downhill from there, and side 2 (I'm talking LP's here, people .o) echoes with the sound of someone scraping the barrel.

"Cut like a diamond" is overwrought and over-arranged, while "Alexander the great" and "Keep on trying" are lightweight. A brief respite arrives in the form of "Barcarole", Dave Cousins' lullaby to the sinking city of Venice, Italy.

There is even a novelty tune, "Back in the old routine", which might have worked for a singles-oriented pub band, but only marked a dead end for the Strawbs.

All-in-all, two or three good songs that don't make a good album. 2 stars.