U.K.

This late-70's progressive rock band is a recent discovery, thanks to three excellent songs from John Wetton's live album and some diligent Internet searching! It's also an example of what happens when two online CD stores fight over your patronage. Shortly after finding out these two albums were available on CD, I got a note from CDNow offering me $2 off any purchase. Whoopty-do. Well, I wound up going out of town and forgot to place the order, and when I got home the offer had expired. But then, MusicBlvd offered me FIVE dollars off, and threw in free shipping to boot! So there you have it, two brand new CD's for little more than the cost of buying them both used.

The lineup for both albums includes Wetton on bass & vocals, and Eddie Jobson (who later did an album with Jethro Tull) on keyboards & electric violin. It turns out the two guys HATED each other, which led to the band's quick demise, but they put out some keen music in the meantime. Funny how that works out? The drummer on the first album is the ever-popular Bill Bruford (Yes, King Crimson, A.B.W.H., etc.); on the second one, drums are played by Terry Bozzio, before he formed Missing Persons.

"U.K."

  1. "In the Dead of Night" (5:38)
  2. "By the Light of Day" (4:32)
  3. "Presto Vivace and Reprise" (2:58)
  4. "Thirty Years" (8:09)
  5. "Alaska"--instrumental (4:45)
  6. "Time to Kill" (4:55)
  7. "Nevermore" (8:09)
  8. "Mental Medication" (7:31)

An interesting album, definitely progressive but with many overtones of new wave. The sound here is reminiscent of the type of music that would years later be done by the Thompson Twins, Thomas Dolby, The Cars, and others. The first three tracks are basically one song divided into three parts; "In the Dead of Night", by itself, has been covered by Yngwie Malmsteen and Dream Theater.

"Danger Money"

  1. "Danger Money" (8:14)
  2. "Rendezvous 6:02" (5:00)
  3. "The Only Thing She Needs" (7:54)
  4. "Caesar's Palace Blues" (4:44)
  5. "Nothing to Lose" (3:57)
  6. "Carrying No Cross" (12:17)

The songs here stand out more from each other than the first album, but are of uneven quality. Maybe the band tensions were beginning to show? "Rendezvous 6:02" is a beautiful song which I first heard on Wetton's live album, which spurred me to find out where it came from!

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