DANGER MONEY

With Bruford replaced by Bozzio and guitar player Holdsworth not replaced at all, UK took a more commercial - or should I say streamlined approach - to their second album. To my surprise the result sounds much more consistent and listenable.

Danger Money is sure no easy money but this organ driven power prog works quite well. Jobson must have gotten himself a new pair of synths as they sound much less squeaky as on the previous album. It's a great tune with an intriguing uncanny atmosphere.

Rendezvous is a nice and uncomplicated tune finding Wetton in a romantic mood. It's good to hear he gave up on the jazzy vocals and other sorts of experiment that stretched his capabilities too much.

The Only Thing He Needs is an average rock tune where AOR competes with a couple of great proggy instrumental bits. AOR wins. Nothing To Lose is possibly worse, and a typical example of the bad and cheap pop that Asia would start assembling a few years later

But then, Carrying The Cross ends the album in a respectable fashion. It's no Starless but it's adequate proto-neo-prog (if such a thing exists), starting as an ok ballad and gradually building up momentum towards an ELP mid-section. It's all a bit safe and nicely conforming to the rules laid out in the 71-73 period but we had worse on this album. The dramatic crescendo spanning minutes 6 to 8 saves the album for me.

The album takes a good start and ends with an extended piece that most prog fans will enjoy a lot. I think I can settle for 3 stars for this one, finding myself in the small company that kind of prefers this one to the debut.