RAIN DANCES

There were two changes of personnel between Moonmadness and Rain Dances, bass player Doug Ferguson departed and was replaced by Richard Sinclair, and Mel Collins joined as a fifth member after providing sax, clarinet etc on the previous live tour. Perhaps as a result of these changes, Rain Dances has more of a jazz rock feel to it that what has gone before. This is particularly apparent in One Of These Days I'll Get An Early Night, which reminds me of the Average White Band.

I really like this album. Apart from the short tracks Tell Me and Elke, which don't do a lot for me, the rest of the album is great. Yes, even Highways Of The Sun, which although a move towards a more "poppy" sound, is still a good song.

Highlights First Light, Unevensong, Rain Dances.

Four solid stars.