A Different Kind of Weather

by Tom DemalonNick Laird-Clowes and company return for what would prove to be their swan song. If A Different Kind of Weather failed to reach the heights of the band's debut, it outshone Remembrance Days and proved to be a fitting close on one of the 1980s' overlooked delights. It also marked the return of David Gilmour's involvement with the band in a production capacity with Laird-Clowes and adding guitar. The band stretches a bit on their version of John Lennon's "Love," which opens the album. Building the song around a drum loop and Indian instrumentation, they don't fully succeed. However, the rest of the album contains several moments of pure pop pleasure like "Gaby Says," a dramatic expression of longing to get away; "Twelve-Eight Angel," a punchy song about regret with a sax solo by Kate St. John; and "It'll Never Happen Again," a lovely laid-back gem with an undercurrent of Gilmour's guitar work and breezy background vocals. Overall, a graceful bow by Dream Academy that is a worthwhile addition to their catalog.