HIGH CLASS IN BORROWED SHOES

This album is a minor classic, a prog/arena rock hybrid that veers all over the musical map. Kim Mitchell went on to make some uninteresting but fun mainstream rock in the 80s and is now a DJ. Many Canadians don't even know he was in this band. He is actually one of rock's most underrated guitar heros and comes across almost as a Canuck Bill Nelson on this album, with brilliant solos abounding. In fact, Sunburst Finish era Be Bop Deluxe is a fair ballpark approximation of what Max Webster was like in their heyday, an indefinable mix of 70s influences leaning towards hard rock and glam as well as prog. Pye Dubois provides some bizarre lyrics that save some of the more mainstream tunes from being maudlin. The hard prog stylings of In Context of the Moon, Oh War and Americs's Veins will appeal to many's the Rush fan, and Diamonds, Diamonds is a nice ballad that is a staple of Canadian classic rock radio, along with the energetic title track. This is some very high quality 70s rock, and guitar virtuoso aficionados would do well to pick it up to check out Mitchell's playing.