SKY

Ah yes, I remember Sky... they came out around the time I got into the Mahavishnu Orchestra and having just reviewed Birds of Fire (5 stars) I was thinking what other if any instrumental-based groups with higher musical aspirations were around. Of the ones I knew, there was King Crimson, and er..Sky.

Sky's music was pleasant and unassuming; slightly fast-paced wallpaper music that wasn't very imaginative and all a bit sterile. You could have put them on as support act for Neil Diamond (nothing wrong with that I'm just indicating that they were well.. slightly too MOR for some tastes). "Ooh, but they're real classical musicians and they really play their instruments" my parents would cry. Well yes, but even though they are all 24-carat classical musicians, I actually prefer the likes of ELP's ventures into the classics - heck, either you listen to the original or you want to listen to something that's new and a bit different. But if I want to listen to John Williams I'll take an album of his classical guitar work thank you.

I won't say the Sky fell in for me when I listened to their album again (sorry! couldn't resist...) and actually it really is quite pleasant to have on in the background - oh dear, is that what's called damning with faint praise?