NEW CITY

I clearly remember the day when I at the tender age of 10 picked up this album from my father's collection, putting it on the turntable and going into the kitchen to have a snack. When the first track, Ride captain ride, came on I swear I felt like losing my mind to an eternal groove. It swept me off my feet and keeps on doing so. This is jazz-rock with a slight emphasis on jazz, a good dose of slick funk and a big wallop of rock. The end result is one of my favorite albums and in my opinion the best from B,S&T.

While "Ride, captain, ride" is a jazz-rock kick in the head, "Life" is a decidedly funky affair with great wah-wah and a rolling groove that is amazing. "No show" and "I was a witness to a war" are great, mellow stuff of the highest pedigree. The cover of John Lee Hooker's "One room country shack" is superb and ends the first side of the vinyl in the best way.

Side two opens with "Applause", a song about a performer who's entertaining but really feels lonely. A fantastic song, sad but epic in a jazz-rock way. "Yesterday's music" is a straight forward pop//rock song but a terrific one. Then comes the humour, "Naked man". An oddity but very entertaining and nice melody. The cover of the Beatles song "Got to get you into my life" is inspired and everything draws to a close with the beautiful "Takin' it home", thus ending a wonderful album.

Not many people seem to like, no love, this album as I do. I think it is very underrated, inspired and vibrant record showcasing all that's great with the genre. There's jazz, rock, funk, blues, folk, hard rock and then some. Of special note is the fact that George Wadenius is the guitarist on the album, as he had been for some time in 1975. Being swedish I find it especially cool that one of my countrymen, and such a brilliant one aswell, is part of this album's greatness. I love it, from start to finish. It is an amazing album. Complex, beautiful, accessible and entertaining.