COUNTERPOINTS

Argent's swan song is again a record that got undeserved dismissal, especially from progheads maybe unaware that Phil Collins subbed in for a sick Henritt, reinforcing the jazz-rock feel that had appeared with the preceding Circus. Again graced with Argent's very own Grimaldi artwork (not sure this acrobat/ballet dancer is human from its position and a wink to the preceding album through the window), it is not specified on the vinyl which track Phil played, but it is easily guessed. The group had changed labels from Epic to RCA, and the album cover was botched, not giving out the tracks and their length on the outside, while the songwriting has never been so shared

Opening on a weak On My Feet Again (similar to the Waiting For The Yellow One AOR ballad and Butterfly on the flipside), the album is a slow starter as Can't Remember But Yes is an improvement (Phil helping) but we have to wait for the lengthier Time where a full-out fusion breaks out in the open and the group sounds like the Oblivion Express meeting Brand X. The instrumental side-closer It's Fallen Off follows suit in the fusion path.

The flipside opens on Be Strong, an uneasy mix of fusion with AOR ballad (Henritt is on drums) where much of the problems are highlighted: poor vocals, some disastrous synths sounds and schizophrenic songwriting. Argent gives us his once-per-album RnR track next; Road Back Home is a slow jazz-rock tune, sometimes reminiscent of Auger, but way too syrupy and calm for its length. The least we can say is that this album is a schizophrenic one, sharing itself between insipid ballads and killer fusion (Collins' contribution helped Argent from the jazz-rock of Circus to this album's fusion). While not essential, and certainly not flawless, by the time they folded Argent had certainly progressed from being a 60's type psych-beat caterpillar to an Art Rock chrysalis to a fusion butterfly by the mid-70's. I don't think that this album has received an official reissue in CD yet, but I have seen copies lying around.

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