FACE TO FACE

Looking at the sibmitted reviews this album certainly draws up very mixed feelings. That's recognisable for it has done so with me too, although I am an ardent BJH-fan. But especiaaly the first few times I played the album I couldn't get in touch with it. There seemed to be too many poopy tunes and too few memorable pieces. But recently I realized that I took the album very regularly when I wanted to hear some strong, melodic pieces with lyrics that really have a message (Africans, Alone in the night) or just beautiful ballads (Kiev, Guitar blues, On the wings of love). But indeed, some songs are still fillers for me (Turn the key, Following me, All my life), most of them written by Les Holroyd alas. He certainly was not in the best of his times in this period, I assume. So I look at this album as a very reasonable BJH-album. It is not their best but it has haunting moments (I think Guitar blues is one of the best songs that John Lees has ever written), has some plain and well written political statements (Africans) and is therefore a good addition for those people who like melodic music. But prog, wwhhaahhh, it not prog at all.....