The third album by this incarnation of was a match for their previous success, , with equally impressive performances and songwriting and a few new musical twists added. The songs here fit more easily into a vein, and the prior album's folk influences are gone. rocks a bit harder, albeit always in a manner, and 's bass and 's drums are both harder and heavier here, the bass (the group's only amplified instrument) in particular much more forward in the mix. This change works in giving the band a harder sound that leaves room for 's orchestral accompaniments, which are somewhat more prominent than those of on the prior album, with the horns and strings, in particular, more exposed. is in excellent voice throughout, and finds ideal accompaniment in 's acoustic guitar and 's piano. The writing team of and also adds some new wrinkles to the group's range -- in addition to ballads like they delivered a great dramatic canvas for , in particular; and is a surprising (and effective) move into topical songwriting, dealing with the plight of and other victims of Soviet repression (you had to be there in the 1970s to realize what a burning issue this was). And then there were the soaring, pounding group virtuoso numbers like which managed to hold audience interest across nine or ten minutes of running time. ~ Bruce Eder