CLOSE TO THE EDGE

I was listening to 'Close to the edge', and was thinking of giving it three stars, but I put on some Carl Palmer afterwards and realise that this album is only two stars, actually I really would give it two and a half if I could. At least 'edge' doesn't have muddy production that flawed the following tow albums, but this suffers from a total lack of feeling or lack of any hooks.

Although fellow prog bands get hammered for slight filler material, a 'Benny the bouncer' or a 'who dunnit?' is desperately needed on this deadly serious album. Actually this album isn't even serious, rather robotic. From beginning to end this album is dead-spot on and John Anderson's delivery is totally limp, he's like a politician reading from notes that were written for him by a PR man. There's no emotional quality or any hooks or anything. The bit on the first song where they sing 'close to the edge, down by the corner' just sounds picture-perfect rehearsed, but there seems to be no emotional connection at all. It's just like someone reciting lines. From beginning to end John endlessly sings these lyrics that mean nothing to him or anyone else for that matter.

The production is good and the bit on the title track where John softly sings 'I get up I get down' and it flows into an organ solo, that has some emotional quality, but the rest is just a meandering, pointless exercise.

This album is okay while it's on, but once it's off you wont remember it, and you'll be kind of glad it is over.