The Innocent Age - 9

I returned to this album after a number of years, fearing that it would no longer hold the power that it once did. I needn't have worried. It still reduces me to tears,

For sheer poetry I regard it as the greatest piece of pop/rock music ever written - comfortably eclipsing anything by Dylan.

It is hard to see how The Innocent Age could have been improved. A song cycle taking us from the cradle to the grave, it still sends shivers down my spine. Individually the songs are poignant and simply wonderful with an engaging wistfulness that it is difficult to describe. Collectively they make one of the greatest comments on life and love.

The poetry, the great songs just keep coming with three in particular meshing together with a huge wow factor. Run for the Roses is the haunting story of a horse and the Kentucky Derby, Leader of the Band is simply the greatest song ever written about a father-son relationship and Same Old Lang Syne is about a broken relationship and the author coming across a lost love at Christmas-tide.

And if those three are the highlights, the remainder aren't far behind in both power and beauty and the whole album rounds off with the brilliant Ghost that just leaves you feeling stunned for  quite some time afterwards.

You will see from my musical favourites list that Leader of the Band comes in at number 10 and Same Old Langs Syne at 37 in my top 100 all time tracks. This album is also ranked at number five in my all time favourite albums. Playing it again I can see exactly why.