By 1975,
Trapeze were a long, long way from the exquisite pastures of their debut album -- and a long way, too, from the days when
the Moody Blues could be ranked among their biggest fans, as well as their employers (the band was originally signed to
the Moodies' Threshold label). But maybe hoping for at least a splash of that old magic to resurface, the band titled its final LP after its first -- plain ol'
Trapeze -- and the bandmembers did their best to look their imminent demise full in the face. Maybe they didn't know what fate had in store for them as they recorded this, but
Trapeze is still a dour little disc, desperately missing the funk infusions of
Glenn Hughes and, for the most part, overshadowed even by its disappointing predecessor. "Star Breaker," the opening cut, is probably the best thing here; for the most part, though,
Trapeze is lumpen rock by rote, dull and dismissed by all but the most desperately faithful. ~ Dave Thompson