Royal Bed Bouncer

Although it retains progressive trappings, this album marks the beginning of Kayak's move into uptempo pop. The songs still reflect Scherpenzeel's quirkiness, whether in the sci-fi Noah's Ark of "Chance for a Lifetime" or the bizarre job description in the title track. If you can ignore the forced zaniness of the backing vocals, the latter song boasts a wonderfully frantic piano solo over Koopman's walloping drum track. The soaring "Bury the World" is drenched in heavily reverbed electric piano, and features a gorgeous and unexpected oboe solo in the middle of the song. But the undeniable highlight of the album is "Said No Word." Shifting effortlessly from an odd-time bounce over roller-rink organ to a series of clangorous breaks by massed bass guitars, it then lurches into a final monster groove that is worth the price of admission alone. — Paul Collins.