FISH OUT OF WATER

Chris Squire's solo album has been re-released this year on Wounded Bird Records, who seem to be part of Rhino. This album usually competes with "Olias Of Sunhillow" for the title of Best Yes Solo Album and deservedly so. It differs from normal Yes output in that there is little lead guitar, this is replaced by some sterling work from the likes of Patrick Moraz, Mel Collins and Jimmy Hastings and, as you would expect, some fine solo bass work from Chris.

Kicking off with the upbeat "Hold Out Your Hand", the bass guitar is immediately to the fore in this oddly timed number which is vaguely reminiscent of "Parallels". This song goes straight into the second number, the excellent and slightly country- flavoured "You By My Side" with its rousing chorus. This leads us into the "epic" song of the album, the brilliant "Silently Falling". The roots of this song can be found on early Yes numbers from the BBC recordings, but here it becomes an 11 minute classic, with a long Moraz organ solo, and a slow fade out kicked along nicely by the footwork of Bill Bruford.

Mr Bruford's classic snare sound is immediately recognisable on the next song, "Lucky Seven", which is a jazzy, seven to the bar number featuring the electric piano of Andrew Pryce Jackman. The album is rounded off with the 15 minute "Safe (Canon Song)" where the orchestra comes to the fore. This one is a little bit too long and repetitive for me (various instruments in the orchestra take turns to play the same short riff), but doesn't take anything away from an excellent album. The only other criticism I would make is that the bass guitar sound itself is occasionally a bit "rasping" and could do with a bit more crunch, other than that it's a four star album for me.