SEVEN STORIES INTO 98

This is a re-recording of IQ's earliest release even predating Tales From The Lush Attic. Originally it was called seven stories into 8 and released as a cassette only compialtion. Quite an interesting album of you are into IQ. A brief run down of the songs:

1. Capital Letters (In Surgical Spirit Land) (3:49) - high tempo jazzy opener. Nice synth work from Orford (4/5)

2. About Lake Five (5:27) - yet another instrumental... does Nicholls ever get to sing! Quite good (3/5)

3. Intelligence Quotient (8:18) - definite Hackettish Spectral Mornings feel about this.Nicholls finally gets to sing.Lyrics are very 'wet'. Unusual song (3.5/5)

4. For Christ's Sake (5:17) - medley of Xmas tunes.Good fun! (3/5)

5. Barbell Is In (4:54) - Reggae!!?? Weird stuff! (3/5)

6. Fascination (7:03) - closest to their later work like Subterannea.I like the lyrics here (4/5)

7. For The Taking (4:34) - best song here for my money.Dark lyrics and great acoustic guitar work from Mike Holmes (5/5)

8. It All Stops Here (7:53) - more up tempo rockier number. Like it (4/5)

9. Eloko Bella Neechi (5:16) - nice atmospheric instrumental track to close the album (4/5)

Overall this falls between 3 and 4 stars for me. Nothing is bad on this album but nothing matches the best IQ music. Probably say 3 stars.