DECEPTIVE BENDS

10CC's first album after the split from Lol Creme & Kevin Godley is the only album where Eric Stewart and Graham Gouldman managed to retain the spirit and quirkiness of the earlier album, although I must admit it took me quite a while to appreciate some of it. The sound is there, from the distictive overcompressed guitar tone to the odd humor.

There are straight out humorous songs, like Good Morning Judge which features a main character pleading to be sent back to prison (the one in Rubber Bullets?), You've Got A Cold, and the great Modern Man Blues, which begins with the protagonist left alone by his lover, but ends with him rejoicing his freedom.

There is more subtle humor, as in the The Things We Do For Love ("Ooh, you make me love you. Ooh, you've got a way. Ooh, you've had me crawling up the wall.) And of course, Honeymoon With B Troop, where if you listen closely, it appears the singer is having a rather sexual relationship with a pinup poster.

There is also the eleven minute Feel The Benefit, which has a feel of some of the Supertramp epics. It's only marred by some maudlin string arrangements.

But the real gem of the album is I Bought A Flat Guitar Tutor, an amazing little tune, where the chords are written into the lyrics. Incredibly clever. 3.5 stars, rounded up.