LIFELINE

By this time of the Lifeline album,we have yet another lineup change, with Ricky Gardiner and Virginia Scott gone.The band now is Gordon Sellar now guitar whereas he was the band's bass player previously.Linnie Patterson-vocal,Colin Pattenden-bass formerly of Manfred Mann's Earth Band.Alan Park is back again on keys and John Hollywood -drums.

If you are looking for more like their first three great albums,you won't find that here ,unfortunately.But this is not that bad an album really,in the more rock vein as opposed to prog.

Lifeline opens the album with a good pulsating drive in a electro pop rock mood a la Saga.Not a bad song.

Then we get 3 songs in a row,I gave you love,You never believe I'm human and Showman,that are pretty much just straight ahead rock and rather bland,but the 3rd of them stands out a bit and we get some nice guitar from the former bass player.

They must have had Camel's Breathless lying around the studio,because next 2 songs got a flavour from that album. Yes I need someone is a solid rock song with a good drive with a splash of prog thrown in.Kinda like Summer Lightning.

Next one,Lost in space is a jolly happy flowing song like Down at the farm,but less quirky.Good song.

Now you are gone could be a Joe Cocker (Patterson sounds like him here,nice and raspy.) slow rock song with female ooh ahh backup,and some nice guitar.Another good song.

It must have been a nice sunny day around the studio when they made this one,Bad Dreams.Nice catchy AOR West coast sounding like some America/Poco/Player .Nice one.

Four Moons is a two part song that starts like a piano ballad with singing,in the piano bar mood.Then the songs slip in to a heavy synthy pulsating song with solid drums.This is quite dancey.I like it.

This one is my favourite between Get you dog of me and Saggitary of the 3.Have not heard Beggars can't be choosers.

So as a former great prog band that has made a good rock album here, it is for me 3 stars. But for anybody who do not like Beggars Opera this is probably 2 small stars