A

I have a soft spot for this album. Lyrically I think it is one of Anderson's best; the lyrics are compact, to the point, have a strong rhythm and in for example in 'And Further on' or 'Black Sunday' a certain doom-laden grandeur, which follows on from some of the themes set out in its predecessor 'Stormwatch'.

It is very much, an album of the late 1970's, in both its subject matter, the UK Iranian Embassy siege (Crossfire), nuclear war ('Fylingdale Flyer', 'Protect and Survive'), the daily drudgery of the working life (Working John, Working Joe, Uniform), technology ('4WD' and 'Batteries Not Included') and in the album art, with a similar aesthetic to The Strawbs 'Deadlines'

The biggest difference, compared with its predecessor's is in the music, with temporary new boy Eddie Jobson's electronic keyboards, replacing the warmer more classical tones of David Palmer and John Evans, although the folk influences still show in one of Tull's best instrumentals, the Pine Martin's Jig'.

If it has a week point, its the album's production, although the remastered version does improve things, the bass is still somewhat muddy and overall the album has a thin sound to it.