of a warp to describe "time passages" into which people disappear and from which–sometimes–they unexpectedly return. "Life in Dark Water" eerily projects such a warp into the future: a submarine crewman, daydreaming of his girl back home, suddenly finds himself inexplicably alone on board with a five-hundred-year supply of food.

Something like that warp–call it a sleight of hand that's his best trait–permeates Stewart's song-writing: somewhere there'll be a verse that introduces a startling ambiguity into an otherwise ordinary narrative. He also tackles Big Themes, an admirable show of thoughtfulness for a pop composer whose thoughts are at times insubstantial. "A Man for All Seasons," for instance, simply strings together existentialist clichés, while "The Palace of Versailles" lazily restates previous Stewart history lessons. But romantic fantasy and resignation commingle intriguingly on "End of the Day," and "Almost Lucy" depicts a prototypic dumb beauty who untypically smartens up.

Al Stewart's singing is anything but passionate, the arrangements rich yet static–just right for his songs, as usual. Fortunately, producer Alan Parsons spares us the overblown aspects of his own records (time trips of a more pretentious nature) and makes Time Passages sound both stately and commercial. Stewart's sidemen again contribute fine work, especially alto saxophonist Phil Kenzie and guitarists Peter White and Tim Renwick. (RS 279)

DON SHEWEY