UK

Got a CD of this recently having lost the vinyl copy some years back - was a cracking album at the time, but somehow now, playing it back to back with say Crimson's Red (the last album with both Wetton and Bruford), it doesn't stand the test of time as well. OK unfair comparison that maybe, for one thing there's no Fripp driving the proceedings here. But there are some very fine moments; best tracks are "30 Years" a eulogy on the passing of time and missed opportunities, and "Nevermore", a jazz influenced number. "In the Dead of Night" kicks off the album but it's a little pedestrian until Holdsworth's searing guitar break; it then fades beautifully into "By the Light of Day". "Alaska" is a Jobson based instrumental, which sounds a little staid now, "Presto Vivace" has some harmless keybaord and guitar noodling; "Time to Kill" is saved by Jobson's great violin solo. The final track though, must have been that bad day in the office, or that 5.00 Friday lemon that rolled off the production line - "Mental Medication" - musical masturbation more like. Possibly the worst prog rock track of all time? Dumb lyrics badly sung, no tune, silly, pointless twiddling on instruments; what a waste of talent and ability. But for that this album would have got 4 stars!!