On their final album,
Ambrosia forsakes the airbrushed AOR sounds that defined
Life Beyond L.A. and
One Eighty in favor of a strong, rock-oriented sound. They are aided in this aim by a gutsy production from
James Guthrie (a producer better known for his work with groups like
Judas Priest and
Pink Floyd) that takes the group to a new level of sonic firepower. Songs like "For Openers" and "Still Not Satisfied" reverberate with a newfound sense of rock & roll muscle: The drums kick, the basslines throb, and the guitars and Hammond organ wail with abandon. Even
Ambrosia's trademark ballads benefit from their newly beefed-up sound: "Feelin' Alive Again" features the airy harmonies and delicate keyboard shadings expected from this style of song, but it also gains an added sense of dramatic weight from
Burleigh Drummond's thick drumming and piercing, emotional guitar solos from
David Pack. The group also revives their early progressive sound on "Ice Age," an impressive epic tune built on a militaristic drum pattern, heavy power chords, and
Pink Floyd-styled sound effects. The end result is an album that harkens back to the blend of slick musicianship and prog rock imagination that characterized
Ambrosia's early work. Despite receiving many good reviews,
Road Island never achieved a notable level of success because, much like
Somewhere I've Never Travelled, it lacks a standout single that could have helped it cross over to mainstream pop fans. Just the same, it is an above-average album that is worthy of reappraisal by progressive rock fans and lovers of hard rock in general. ~ Donald Guarisco