CRIMINAL RECORD

This very progressive album is one of the best made by Rick Wakeman, the Yes' keyboardist. The album, as usual, is very keyboards oriented, although there are outstanding drums and bass parts too.

"Statue of justice" starts with an OUTSTANDING colorful piano solo, full of mid and bass frequencies; then, all the instruments embark to produce a pleasant, melodic and complex music: organ, moog, merging piano, modern keyboards, bass and drums; it is one of the best tracks from Wakeman, and it really has the Yes sound circa the "Going for the one" album, minus the absent guitars. The next track, "Crime of passion", still sounds like the "Going for the one" album, as reveals gentle church organ-like sound, piano and modern keyboards; the second part is more clinical & nervous: tons of moog and clavinet? produce pleasant and lively textures; the last part is a comeback to a more mellow and sentimental part, made of modern keyboards. The next track, "Chamber of horrors", is absolutely OUTSTANDING from beginning to the end: memorable piano, church organ-like notes, infernal modern keyboards parts: the keyboards form a nervous, clinical, complex and fully interlocking texture; the track is VERY progressive and structured; the bass is EXTREMELY melodic, complex and refined, especially in the end, and the drums are very elaborated. One must say that Alan White and Chris Squire are responsible of the excellent bass and drums on the first side of this record.

The side 2 is different, because White and Squire do not play on it; "Birdman of Alcatraz" is a superb lively piano performance: when the birds sounds appear, I suppose the piano style change gives a man the hope that he can really escape from Alcatraz. "Breathalizer" is a very well made funny song; the amazing thing is that Wakeman passes from a funny to a rather serious bit; the singer at the end sounds like a black man with a bad English accent. The last track "Judas Iscariot" is an epic church organ and choir performance: WOW! The only deplorable thing is the too loaded and flat sound: it is very hard for the speakers to drive all that music: indeed, the organ is absolutely powerful and monolithic, so that the piano and moog parts sound sissy. The numerous choir parts are majestic, and it gives a real church ambience. The combination church organ - choir at the end is totally APOCALYPTIC!

EXTREMELY RECOMMENDED!