AQUALUNG

A stunning rock masterpiece. Expertly blends driving hard rock riffs with gentle acoustic and melodic sequences, mixing in folk, rock, pop in what would become a very influential and much-copied style, yet never quite achieved so masterfully. Although often considered a concept album dealing with the distinction between religion and God, and Anderson's dour musings on faith and religion, the band disputes this, as only a few songs have any unifying theme relating to religion. Several of the songs also deal with the plight of outcasts and the downtrodden. The religion-themed songs, such as My God, Hymn 43, and Wind-Up are undeniably compelling and powerful, but so is the entire album from beginning to end. The composition and inclusion of the acoustic numbers (Cheap Day Return, Mother Goose, Wond'ring Aloud, and Slipstream) is just magnificent and provide a perfect balance to the album. A tremendous leap from previous album Benefit, and the start of super-stardom for the band. Best tracks: Mother Goose, Wond'ring Aloud, Wind-up, Locomotive Breath, Aqualung, Hymn 43, Cross-Eyed Mary, Slipstream, My God. Weak tracks: none. Rating: 5.0