This album gets a bad rap simply by following the band's most fully realized fusion-era album "Romantic Warrior". While you won't find this incarnation indulging in blistering unison leads, you will hear a more jazz-oriented group fleshed out by a killer horn section and the vocals of Gayle Moran and RTF stalwart Stanley Clarke.
While the vocals and lyrics on this set of songs occiasonly lean towards the saccharine sweet, Moran proves herself an extremely competent vocalist and her multi-tracked vocal choirs add an interesting dimension to the burgeoning new sound. Stanley Clarke, while less expressive overall, is a surprisingly enjoyable addition on vocals providing and counterpoint to the otherwise ethereal vocal flourishes.
This album really doesn't read like a RTF album to me, Chick's playing and composition prowess is at the forefront, and the presence of Clarke and Moran is in a similar supporting role as many of his solo albums. Recommended to fans of Corea's Solo work, or of the early vocal-driven original RTF lineup.
Truly inventive and exhilarating music, this is Red's looser weirder older brother.
The quartet of Fripp, Bruford, Wetton and Cross have fine-honed their collective craft from the previous year's LTIA and come into their own with some of the best Crimson ensemble playing to date. What makes this album so impressive is that the majority of the content is live and mostly extemporaneous.
Side one contains some of Crimson's most well constructed pieces like opener The Great Deceiver and impressionistic The Night Watch. Side two is where the record shows its true colors- two long instrumental pieces that combine the experimental nature of Larks Tongue with the Proto-Metal of Red, all while retaining the freedom and excitement of live performance.
One their least accessible records, but the most rewarding with multiple listens. Not a recommended starting place for the band, but an excellent addition to any serious prog collection.