DOOR X

Okay, you start with the incredibly original sounding guitarist David Torn, add in equally amazing drummer Bill Bruford and bassist Mick Karn (along with some other guest artists), and how can you go wrong? Well, by recording an album half made up of vocal based tunes, for one thing. And releasing it on Windham Hill Records for another. Actually, that second fault doesn't purely make this a bad album, but they certainly aren't known for exciting music.

In reality the album isn't half bad. Literally. The five instrumental tunes are quite good. I can enjoy Torn's guitar playing in just about any setting. And Karn's bass playing is always a treat. Of course we all know Bruford.

The problem is that Torn's vocal pieces just aren't very interesting. Aside from the cool performances, the songs just don't quite make it. And let's talk about the cover version of Jimi Hendrix' Voodo Chile. Here it's stripped down so much that it loses all of it's ferocity. Karn and Bruford lay back as well. And where you would most expect a fiery Torn solo, there is none.

Half great, half disappointing - barely three stars.