The Fugitive: 180 Gram Vinyl Edition

As it comes from Tony Banks, known for his complex and dense keyboard work with Genesis, the sparse instrumentation on The Fugitive is quite a surprise. Even the instrumental "Thirty Three's" is given a light touch. Moreover, The Fugitive is far more rhythmically centered than previous Banks material and contains very little of the difficult wordplay often associated with the composer. Part of the reason for the change in direction was that Banks was writing songs to be sung by himself. While it can't be said that Banks has a great voice, it is certainly an interesting one, and works far better with his music than many of the other more bombastic vocalists he has recorded with as a solo artist. Although not successful as singles, the reggae-like "This Is Love" and the rockier "And the Wheels Keep on Turning" are stronger than most early-'80s pop material. "By You" another highlight of the record also shows some reggae influences and finds Banks in an uncharacteristically romantic mood. While some parts of the album, such as the Atari-like rhythm track to "Charm," have not aged well, overall this might be Banks' most consistent offering. [Note: The original LP of The Fugitive did not include the last two tracks on the CD reissue for space reasons.] ~ Geoff Orens