PICTURES

Dark, disturbing, percussive, and theatrical are words that come to mind when listening to this unique album from the mid 70's. Influences include early Peter GABRIEL, GENTLE GIANT, IL BALLETTO DI BRONZO, ELP, and even John Cage. "Empty Bottles", the 23-minute bonus track, is almost worth the price of the CD. It is quite different from the first 5 tracks, and emphasizes complex jamming (improvised?). A couple of the last tracks from the original album tend to drag a bit due to slow tempos. But, after the complex sections in the first 4 tracks, the slower tempos at the end of the album are more than a welcome relief.