At this stage two of Wishbone Ash's US albums were published under Atlantic label ("Locked In" and "New England").
In England the band was still signed to MCA (until 1979).
What was the reason for the "missing spirit". Problems in the band itself, personal problems or the surrounding mix-ups in management/record company deals? No matter what, even without seeing the guys playing this, there’s songs that you kind of miss the grin on the face of the players and the occasional wink of the eye. If this LP had been made by a fledgling group, it would have been "a promising start". Now it could have been a "disastrous end" for an established band. By this I mean it’s not an altogether bad record, but it’s not representing the full talents of the band.
Andy Powell writes in the "Collector’s Guide" that this was a time of "too many variables". While overviewing the Wishbone Ash history through their records, this is clearly a "deep dive". Luckily the next record showed a quick rise.
At least the start is promising! A very "Wishbone Ashy" start with some strange guitarsounds. The song in itself is a very dramatic "nightmare". Later on Martin had "more problems" with "Insomnia". The live version on Archives II is the proof of that this song should have deserved a better company.
This is one those songs that could have waited in reserve until it was "mature". It’s no a bad song, but it’s missing that something. Maybe the wink of the eye.
One more song that has to be played seldom enough to be missed. Isn’t that a criterion for the "worthwhileness" of a song, or at least one of them?
Excuse me Martin, but there’s days when I think this song is too "pompous". Then there’s times that my own mood suits more the feeling of the song. Maybe the idea of the song is too "fragile"; you have to be on the same wavelength to get it.
Here’s some spirit at least! The female choir doesn’t ring so good in my ear, but the general "atmosphere" is better than in most of the songs. Laurie’s voice isn’t one of the toughest rock’n roll voices yet (compared with his voice in Twin Barrels Burning), but it is suits the melody.
The Talk Box effects is the part I’ll always remember from this song. Martin is stretching his voice in a more interesting way this time.
More music with a mellow undertone. Although it cannot be called a ballad. Maybe this displays the general atmosphere of this record.
I’m sure happy this wasn’t the way Wishbone Ash as a group said goodbye. Well, at least the last song is something worth the group. Nice bass guitar lines by Martin and some powerful and beautiful guitar playing at the same time by Andy and Laurie. This is another pearl on this album with unhappy circumstances.
Written by: Rainer Frilund - Last update: Oct, 1998