THRAK

With the establishment of the "double trio" format, the band takes on a decidedly harder metal- tinged edge that in some ways is reminiscent of the harder track's on 1974's Red but with 1990s aesthetics and technologies. Nothing is terribly cutting edge here but the songs are beautifully sung and constructed and masterfully played. A number of the tracks should satisfy "Red"-heads. Regretfully, though, artistic stagnation with a lack of real new musical ideas plague this recording. It is in many places, however, musically satisfying, but again, lacks the element of innovation and surprise that was so key to their earlier work.