MAINSTREAM

Before I leave this lifetime I must stand up and post a review of this horrid album--an album I bought back in the 70s and immediately disliked but which, as I do with all of my purchases, I deigned to return to, to give it another chance, always thinking that my tastes, maturity, or musical knowledge would help me to better appreciate the "genius" of this work that so many others extoll.

1. "Sol Caliente" (7:34) nice playing from all members except the grating sound of the second guitarist's rhythm stokes. Melodically the song never really gets into the ear (maybe it's not meant to--what with the experimental scales and chromatic devices practiced in the jazz world in those days). (8/15)

2. "Trumpets With Motherhood" (1:47) a cacophony of sound effects thrown into the wind for a couple minutes. (2/5)

3. "Bargain Classics" (5:48) Are the dreamy keys and/or angular rhythms of this song somehow expected to help us forget or wash away the waste of time and mental disturbance of the previous song that eventually emerges out of the chaos. Not for me! It remains silly, soporific, and self-indulgent. A song that adds nothing positive to my world. (8/10)

4. "R.F.D." (3:23) keys and guitar effects drawn out much longer than they need be. Another odd presence on this album. (7/10)

5. "Mummy Was An Asteroid, Daddy Was A Small Non-Stick Kitchen Utensil" (6:00) interesting for the solo of its odd-sounding keyboard, while structurally it's first two minutes are boring in their straightforwardness. The Fender Rhodes' "Riders on the Storm" keyboard chord progression is distracting from the raunchy, grating rawness of the lead guitar(s). (Why does Manzanera get two tracks for two separate leads?) The rest of the band--drums, bass, and other keys--perform very nicely, with great unity. (8.75/10)

6. "Trot" (5:18) multi-layers of keyboards offset from one another make this song interest--which is hard since the dentist drill sound that Manzanera has chosen is outright obnoxious. Who is Dave Jarrett? He is talented. His work on this jazzy song are the highlight. People love Phil Manzanera's guitar work! I just can't get past the jarring, grating sounds he chooses. And they call this "Canterbury" style music?!?! Go figure! (8.5/10)

7. "RongWrong" (9:34) the lone epic of the album, it opens strongly and then denigrates itself by lurching into a cheezy, syrupy electric piano solo. Phil Miller-like guitar leads a transition into a kind of rudimentary Elton John-like pop section over which male singer opens his delivery. Singer Chris Hayward must have been the only volunteer to take on these duties as he is not very good--not very rehearsed and definitely not of polished singing voice. (Again: Maybe I just don't get it; maybe it's supposed to be bad--for some desired effect that only the British could appreciate.) Bass solo over piano and organ in the middle. Back to the pop song arrangement for the eighth minute. At least the lyrics are fairly loose extemporaneous in the Canterbury tradition. (Was it a tradition?) Sounds so 60s-ish. (17/20)

Three stars; good but not an essential or even necessary listening experience. I'd even go so far as to call it "forgettable." Still, these were professionals; they made a serious (I think) attempt at releasing a sellable album.