This slipcased one-two, led by singing Jerries (Fisher and LaCroix), sees the multi-instrumental, multi-member unit in transition – both in terms of personnel and direction. Disco crept into the picture on Mirror Image’s opening, strings-laden cut, Tell Me That I’m Wrong. Funk keys and a meandering rhythm section follow in Look Up To The Sky, before the Randy Newman-lite ballad, Hold On To Me. The title track suite’s four movements range from Charlie Brown keys to guitar rock, but it’s too little too late.
With David Clayton-Thomas taking over vocal duties, the 10-song New City has a more robust edge, Life adopting a Freddie King-like, tongue-in-cheek stance, before No Show gets flutey in a Camel style. Throw in blues, soul balladry and Peter Gabriel-gone-funk on Applause, and “eclectic” is a word that springs to mind. The novelty Mozart in a music-hall of Naked Man brings to mind another word, though got To Get You Into My Life lifts things a notch.
