Although had, in effect, been together for well over a decade when (1982) was issued, it was only their third studio long-player of concurrently new material. Initially, the project began as a collaborative effort between (guitar/banjo/keyboards/percussion/vocals) and (guitar/keyboards/percussion/vocals), as was descending into a self-induced state of perpetual drug dependency. However, was included, although arguably in name alone, and his hauntingly lyrical stands as one of his finest contributions. Perhaps the most telling element in the trio's state of affairs was the addition of ' and bandmember (keyboards/vocals) on vocals throughout. Despite that obvious setback, the other two primary namesakes supply some genuine and uniformly excellent material to the proceedings. Among the most notable are 's -- which was lyrically an ode to the status of the group's union -- and ' collaboration with on Both were extracted as singles and became among the best-known tracks not only on , but also in the post-'60s canon. The disc also includes a few thoroughly affective such as -- which wrote for his spouse -- and ' equally emotive By contrast, the album's opener, as well as are all up-tempo, full-throttle rockers co-composed by , and include some of the guitarist's most blistering fretwork under the moniker. The disc concludes with ' lone solo composition on the album -- a two-part track marrying the newly penned Civil War elegy to a chorus of the 1970 anthem Again, 's absence is noted with the incorporation of 's vocals where 's should have been. is by no means as insipid as their next studio effort, (1990). In the wake of their eponymously titled debut and the (1977) follow-up, there is a notable change in the direction and quality of material. ~ Lindsay Planer