AIR POCKET

Roger Powell's second solo album was released in 1980, just as Utopia was completing their metamorphosis from a prog outfit to a power pop group. And this album shows us that Powell was a willing participant in that change.

The first side of the album is dominated by three power pop ballads, Landmark, Windows (which also appeared on a Utopia album) and the fantastic Emergency Splashdown. While this album side is good, there is just too much of what Utopia was becoming at the time.

Side 2 of the LP is more like I was hoping for. It's full of beautiful keyboard work, amazing sounds and progressive compositions. If the entire album was like this it would have earned a much higher rating.