SAFETY IN NUMBERS

Their third album saw the main man Palumbo leave and start a long history of line-up changes - see the very complete bio on the front page for the full story - but rather disgusting musical industry abusing a band name with many reformations having nothing to do with the original line-up. Nevertheless this album is still a legitimate CTS album with Palumbo around for half the album, but the least we can say is that the album is not an improvement over the previous.

As a teen, I was aware of the band and I had given them a try, but they had failed to impress me and they were buried in between hundreds of such soft-hard-rock that tried to break the radios gates open. They managed a few minutes of airplay here and there, probably built-up a following in the hearland of America between the Appalachians Mountains and the Mississippi River, (they originated from there), but never managed to raise that much enthusiasm to the buddies or me. Among the highlights here is the opening Nuclear Apathy and the closing title track, but little else.

Don't get me wrong, CTS is not as bad as I tend to make it, but I doubt they ever got a proghead (or even a simple rock fan for that matter of fact) so excited that he brought his buddies home in emergency to listen to their latest album and get a load of this record. This album has been coupled with the previous Animal Notes (I should call it Dismal Notes) in a B&W sleeve by Lifesong Records in 89 (cat# LSCD 8803), just in case you have a few bucks too much.

A very misunderstood album. The lyrics were political and often lost in translation. This is an album that must be listened to more than once to understand where they were coming from. The music varied from rock to jazz and even to a bit of a space feeling. Please do not discount this record, for you you may find it's hidden secrets buried deeply in the matrix of their compositions. Give it a chance with an open mind !!!!

This was my introduction to Crack The Sky. I bought the album when the local paper compared them to ELP. After hearing the album, I wondered where they pulled that comparison from.

With respect to other reviewers here, this album rocked my world. Although not all tracks are truly progressive, even the pop-ish songs are inventive. I would categorize it in the same sort of genre as the early Queen albums. The band seems just as competent with prog epics (Nuclear Apathy, Safety In Numbers) as it is with funky rock (Flashlight), tight hard rock (Lighten Up McGraw, Give Myself To You) and throwback vocal tunes (A Night On The Town).

Especially good on this album is the syncopated interplay between the dual guitarists and the bass and drums. Always a joy to my ears, I still come back to this album often even after almost 30 years.

Edited 6/30/09. After listening again to this album today. I just love it. I'm boosting my rating up.

Although this is not my favorite CD, CTS does have quite a bit to offer. "Nuclear Apathy" is sort of a hybrid prog and hard rock, that kinda makes you wonder why it never got a foothold onto FM DJ's 70's playlists. Another treat on this CD is "Safety In Numbers". This track has sort of chanty King Crimsonesque feel. These two songs are definitely prog station playables. The rest of the CD is not prog, but not bad either.

Heavier, more varied and sometimes intense with great pace and chord changes. Some of this sound still shows up even on their newest CD. Safety in Numbers is possibly one of CTS's finest albums, and one of the best albums most people have never heard. If there were any musical justice in the world, these guys would be one of the most popular bands of all time, but we all know musical justice is in short supply.

"Safety In Numbers" was my introduction into the music of CTS and today remains a fan favourite in my household. This album has it all...great powerful music and a perfect mix of both progressive and rock elements. On the recording of this album John Palumbo left leaving John D'Amico in charge of lead vocals. Considering still a vast majority of the music was written with Palumbo the music holds up as amongst their best. "Nuclear Apathy" and "Safety In Numbers" are 2 of my favourite tracks off this album. This is a great album to start with if you would like to hear what these guys are all about. Enjoy !

A very enjoyable album, if not the best for Crack the Sky, ''Safety in Numbers'' has a bit of everything: prog epics (and probably the best two songs of the album) in ''Nuclear Apathy'' and the title track, outright rockers with perplexed guitar playing (''Flashlight'', ''Lighten Up McGraw'', ''Give Myself to You'') and mellower moments in the pleasant ''Long Nights'' and the rather disappointing ''A Night on the Town''. Actually there is a strong Queen feeling on the latter but also on several moments through the album that remind us of May's guitar playing or Freddie's melodies, both from the creative 70's and the poppy 80's era. The influence of Styx and Boston can be found in ''Long Nights'', pertinent to the era when this album was released.

There is a hefty dose of talent in the group, for who I understand this was the last worth-noting album back then. The guitar/bass syncopation heard in songs like ''Flashlight'' well place this album into the "creative hard rock" category. The rocky feeling of Led Zeppelin-meets-Rush is delightful through ''Lighten Up McGraw'' and the heavier parts of ''Nuclear Apathy''.

Perhaps not the masterpiece it promises to be, ticking on just over 36 minutes this is a nice heavy/prog rock album with some memorable moments and enjoyable diversity which would keep the listener nodding their heads smoothly throughout.

3.5 stars

Crack The Sky is a rather obscure rock band from Weirton, West Virginia who released their self titled debut record in 1975. Led by multiinstrumentalist and vocalist John Polumbo they achieved some success in the Baltimore area but went largely unnoticed anywhere else. Their style is a unique blend of the crunchy hard rock of the time with a progressive edge and witty, sometimes sexually charged lyrics. Backed by a fantastic rhythm section their first three albums are quintessential listens I think.

I first stumbled upon them when Rolling Stone magazine included the debut on their list of the 50 best progressive rock albums of all time. 'Safety In Numbers' is their third album and to this date the only one to be recorded without any direct involvement of band leader Polumbo, although he penned all of the songs on the first side. As far as I'm aware he left amicably during this time before returning for 1980s 'White Music' and he his thanked in the albums liner notes. Gary Lee Chappell took on the lead vocals for this one album while guitarist Rick Witkowski was largely responsible for the music on the second side. Under these circumstances it is remarkable that this album is as good as it is.

Album highlights include the opening track 'Nuclear Apathy' which starts out on acoustic guitar with sombre vocals before breaking out into a fierce prog rocker with a riff to die for. A lyrical highlight is 'Flashlight' again with a great lead guitar and some very busy drumming and bass playing it features the great repeating chorus with one of the best sexual innuendos in rock music.

"She showed him her x-rays he turned on his flashlight of love"

'Lighten Up McGraw' and 'Give Myself To You' are more standard rock tracks albeit with great riffs and melodies. Lyrically again very funny is 'A Night On The Town' depicting a poor fellow who is "high on romance" and takes his girl out on a rather.. inexpensive date. Closing track 'Safety In Numbers' (side fact, the first side closing prelude to this song is only available on the vinyl, since this album has not seen a standalone CD release yet) ends the album in a dramatic fashion with great interplay and a late mellotron appearance. The only track I'm not that keen on is the ballad 'Long Nights'.

~ first published at 'audio.philip' on Instagram ~

Though it opens strong with Nuclear Apathy - one of Crack the Sky's more prog-inclined numbers - things go downhill fast, with Long Nights providing a half-baked AORish ballad and Flashlight rooted in a tepid imitation of funk. Behind the scenes lineup changes saw the departure of Joe Palumbo early on in the recording process, and though he would return eventually, he didn't come back in time to save this album from stumbling onto the market with Gary Lee Chappell doing an alright but somewhat bland job on vocals.

There also seems to have been a shortfall on the songwriting side, where Palumbo had previously carried a lot of the weight. The three tracks with compositional contributions from him actually lead off the album, and the remaining pieces feel underwhelming in comparison - and since I only really have time for Nuclear Apathy, that's a pretty bad sign.