NO MORE LOVE

If I could give this lost gem of an album six or seven stars, I would, believe me. Wallenstein's 1977 recording No More Love is a transitional one, and though it points to the future, it also points to the past. It is still progressive, but a sound that would be more accessible for non-progressive rock listeners. This is not to say that it is a commercial sell-out like the later Blue Eyed Boys album- I have never heard such a wonderful bunch of songs. There is something so right about this record, it seems to achieve for me what many other group's albums only hint at-there is not a note in any of these songs that I would alter in any way, even if I could. There is depth, as well as a really great emotion with the whole album-in a single word- wonderful.

No More Love still has that trademark Wallenstein classically inspired and delightful keyboard work courtesy of Jurgen Dollase, and also some tasteful interplay with guitar in a likewise trademark fashion, though things are a bit lighter than on previous records. Though both instrumentally and lyrically, this record makes you sit up and take notice, and is very thought-provoking.

No More Love is the kind of record that is intelligent, but also catchy in the same breath, and not a bit of it is trite. Whenever I listen to this record, it makes me want to get up out of my chair, and go out and tell all the people out there who have not heard it, all about it! There is not just emotion here, but almost a kind of musical sincerity to it all-though the band are obviously going through some changes with No More Love, here they are aiming to expand their audience in a legitimate fashion.

I feel that this record deserved to be given a bigger promotion by the record company at the time, and is something I feel could have been huge, given the right backing. Alas, not long into it's release, Dollase sacked the rest of the group, and the record has been obscured by time, which really is a shame -there would never be another quite like it, by Wallenstein, or anybody else. Unfortunately, there has not been a legitimate release on CD; if you can find this record, get ready for something emotional and uplifting that will make your day, no matter how it is.

Nobody, and I mean nobody, makes music like this anymore. If you have stumbled across this music, consider yourself a privileged person. Five deserving stars.