Small Change
was the last album that
Prism
recorded before the band's demise (reorganizing with weaker personnel in 1988 and without the late
Ron Tabak
).
substituted its vigorous
rock & roll
sound for a more refined blend of
soft rock
amiability, which paid off to some extent. The vocals are toned down, the extravagance of the horns and synthesizers are absent, and the songs reflect a more adult-oriented feel. Written by
Bryan Adams
and
Jim Vallance
,
"Don't Let Him Know"
is the album's best guitar-driven track, and represents
's late-'70s
sound better than any other. But
"Turn on Your Radar"
"Rain,"
especially, are two of the group's best semi-
ballads
, containing some of the sharpest songwriting and use of melody that
has ever employed. Efforts such as
"When Will I See You Again,"
"When Love Goes Wrong,"
"Wings of Love"
have the band taking the prettiness of the love song a little too far, and even the delicate piano and keyboard parts sound overly luscious. On the whole,
was a sturdy farewell from one of Canada's most successful bands. [
Renaissance
's 2008 reissue included six bonus tracks.] ~ Mike DeGagne