MODERN MASQUERADES

As keyboardist Houston had left, taking away his wind instrument (all too rarely used, anyway), they brought in John Mason. This was not the only change, as ex-Crimson man Ian McDonald produced the album and added some sax. So as you might guess, the atmosphere on this album is a bit different, but the spirit of Fruupp is clearly still present. As a newcomer, Mason will contribute two songs including the cornerstone Gormenghast and the closer Sheba.

The opening Misty Morning is giving a good start to the album and can be considered a highlight of theirs. As I spoke of Gormenghast, above this almost 11-min track is at times reminiscent of Hackett's contributions to Genesis. Opening the second side is Mystery Night, which is also a highlight with impressive instrumentation.

While I would not call this last album any better or worse than the previous three, it was clear, that Fruupp was coming to an end. They never managed to have their own typical sound, were not able to progress enough from a strong start and maybe, just maybe, did not have what it takes. Anyway, one track's title seems to be resuming their rather quiet career ending album/ Masquerading With Dawn (their label). I think, without disrespect, that name could fit for their full career.