Bee Gees

The Brothers Gibb desperately needed a hit in 1971 and they got one with the No. 1 smash "Lonely Days," which builds from gentle lament to primal rock howl. "The 1st Mistake I Made" is wondrous; "Sincere Relation" is a sweeping ode to society's stoic losers; and the band kicks out the jams on the rocking "Back Home."

This is a little better than the LPs the Gibb brothers came up with during their separation--Cucumber Castle, which at least sold some, and the solo flop Robin's Reign. It does include a bizarre juxtaposition of Jerry Reed imitation and singing strings. But "Lonely Days" sounded more distinctive on the radio than it does among its epigones here--the collective vibrato is turning into a grating affectation. Presumably they broke up because they sensed that the formula was getting stale. To try to re-create it yet again is to guarantee the transformation from good commercial group to bad one. (Grade - C-)