BENEFIT

You can't step into the same water twice - and this album really shows that. After the excellent "Stand Up", the band with the same line-up (Anderson-Barre-Bunker-Cornick) recorded "Benefit" which seemingly fails short in comparison. There are no obvious hits or songs that stand out, while the overall musical production is somewhat restrained. The material is equilised and consistent throughout the record, mixing nicely the electric and acoustic passages. However, what sounds and what may have sounded at the time like a drawback now shows "Benefit" as a necessary break before the storming sequence of masterpiece albums to come. "Benefit" is extremely listenable, unpretentious album, with several more than excellent songwriting examples, among which "With You There to Help Me", "To Cry You a Song", "Teacher" and "Sossity" are the best. It was never seriously considered among the fans but that's why you may re-discover its hidden treasures.

PERSONAL RATING: 3/5

P. A. RATING: 4/5