SELLING ENGLAND BY THE POUND

A quintessentially English album from a quintessentially English group. The immense promise which started with the criminally underrated Trespass and developed through Nursery Cryme and Foxtrot reached its zenith in this mostly brilliant album. It's not consistent; I Know What I Like and The Battle of Epping Forest are songs that perhaps don't impress at first, but their quirky charm grows with time. However, it is the appalling vocal performance of Collins on the mediocre song More Fool Me that prevents this reaching masterpiece status. The other tracks are all out of the top drawer. They really stretch out on solos for the first time, and Hackett in particular steps out of the shadows with breathtaking technical playing on Dancing With the Moonlit Knight and raises goosebumps on the incomparable Firth of Fifth. Banks shows his skills to great effect on The Cinema Show and Gabriel provides his characteristically emotional vocals and some fine flute. Collins, for all his failings as a singer, is a metronomic drummer and Rutherford's bass and guitar fill in the gaps. The lyrics are better than any other album I have ever heard, with a sense of humour and a keen sense of observation on life.

This is an essential album for all prog collectors and is always a wonderful listen. If only they'd missed off More Fool Me it would have got top rating with ease.