Ferquslie Park:

Stealers Wheel. Reviewed by Brian King.

Last year Stealers Wheel had a hit with "Stuck in the Middle of You", a song from their first album. The album itself was a real treat, a cleverly produced electric rock throwback to the midsixties. Sounded like the Beatles doing Fairport Convention and the mixture of styles worked surprisingly well.

After that album three members left; not the important members though, the Raffery/Egan team that formed the nucleus of the original Stealers Wheel remains, but its not the same. There's a fatal lack of energy pervading the whole record; its so bland. Just a well produced duo running through some very average material. Still, they've got a hit in America off the track called "Star" and maybe this whole LP was put out just to fill the gap between the breakup of the old group and the formation of a new band. Treat with caution, listen closely before buying but don't give them up on the basis of this one.