riff and boasts vocal harmonies straight out of the Notorious Byrd Brothers songbook – and, with Pete Townshend helping out on lyrics, two very Townshendesque romantic ditties, "Love on the Air" and the yowling "All Lovers Are Deranged." But the postfolkish "Murder" veers dangerously close to Gordon Lightfoot territory, and the remaining five tracks lack musical muscle – although "Out of the Blue" and "Cruise" are certainly heartfelt laments about Europe in the shadow of Ronald Reagan's rockets, and "Near the End" is a wry and equally heartfelt lament about aging ("Thinking that we're getting older and wiser/When we're just getting old"). Not bad at all, but–except for Floyd cultists–not essential either. (RS 417)

KURT LODER