ENDANGERED SPECIES

This is one of the most intriguing chapters in the Klaatu saga -- their disasterous 4th LP was recorded in L.A. (they did the rest in their hometown Toronto) with a hotshot producer who was supposed to turn them into hitmakers (he produced Hall & Oates after all!!) Drummer Terry Draper is relegated to a backup singer in favor of soulless studio mercenary, oh the indignities just go on and on.

Needless to say, the result is one of the most appalling sell-outs of all time. So much so that the tortured process of selling your soul is the actual subject matter of many of the songs here -- on the song "Sell Out, Sell Out" most obviously, but also numbers like "Paranoia" and "Set The World On Fire" (which is not about "getting famous" but rather using arson as revenge against the whole stupid world!!) I think poor John Woloschuck (their main songwriter) may have been on the verge of a nervous breakdown writing the songs for this album.

So I give this 2 stars, "for fans/completists" -- if you find Klaatu's other LP's of interest, this record is worth investigation for it's place in their history. But as music to enjoy -- ugh, it's pretty bad 1980 LA hackwork, like the Little River Band or something.

The best tune on here is actually the last one -- a very short song about a dead dog, added to the LP at the last second!