BEDSIDE MANNERS ARE EXTRA

Most critics and fans alike rate Bedside Manners Are Extra as Greenslades best album. I tend to agree with them. Not that is great, but surely is far superior to their disappointing debut (although the cover did become quite iconic) and everything they put out after that too. The LP has a consistency that no other of their releases had, with the good moments outlasting the mediocre ones, especially on the instrumental parts. The vocals are not bad either, Dave Dawson doesn´t blow things up like he would on 1975´s Time And Tide but once again this CD, like all others by this grup, shows why he is not exactly one of prog´s most loved singers.

Anyway, there is a maturity on the compositions and the arrangements are tasteful most of the time, If you´re a fan of keyboards driven, guitar-less bands, or has a special love those analog, vintage keyboards sounds, this is a nice finding. Unfortunately not even here they find a way to sabotage a nice song with the apply titled Drum Folk. Yes, they recorded a drum solo in the studio. And, believe it or not, the short instrumental middle section has probably the best melody line of the whole disc. its a very fine moment. Then the drums come again and spoiled it all. A real shame, but quite telling. It is no wonder they never made prog´s first league.

Conclusion: Greenslade best, no doubt about it. I guess the only one I can hear from start to finish without skipping a track (even with that very annoying drum solo). If you´re new to this band, this is a good starting point. At least some coherence and an overall good songwriting throughout.

Rating: 3,5 stars.