Despite Carl Palmer not being available or involved within this reunion among Keith Emerson and Greg Lake as Palmer was still involved with Asia, the pair chose seasoned drummer Cozy Powell(Jeff Beck, Rainbow) to fill the "P" position on this interesting mid-80's offering. The music contained in this release is rather dexterous, sharp and focused with opening numbers in "The Score" and "Learning to Fly" offering some dynamite keyboard work from Keith Emerson and some strong singing, finding Lake in excellent voice. "The Miracle" seems a bit bombast in spots while the chorus is bland and predictable, "Touch and Go" became the single culled from the release and features a driven synthesizer lead melody that sticks, while Lake delivers a strong vocal to a number that is lost in the production of the mid-80's. Powell's drumming is "par excellence" throughout the recording and the songs benefit from his inclusion and although the chemistry may not have jelled as with Carl Palmer, his inclusion is notable. 

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Following "Touch and Go", is another somewhat bland, though melodic number in "Love Blind" which is followed up by a cool, jazzy ditty "Step Aside"; a bit tongue in cheek, but it offers a nice contrast following the previous 3 numbers. Unfortunately, the next track, another bloated Lake ballad in "Lay Down Your Guns" turns the generic and bland barometer on full mode. The original album closes with "Mars, The Bringer of War" an excerpt of a piece, "The Planets", written by English composer Gustav Holst and is a great way to end the record as it showcases Emerson, Lake and Powell's ensemble collective. The bonus tracks offered on my copy are a cover of "The Loco-Motion", which struck me as hilarious the first time I heard it, but thankfully, this version is an instrumental interpretation with an additional middle arrangement that offers a different angle to this pop number. "Vacant Possession" is the other bonus song and its lot is in with the generic pop/love sensibilities in "The Miracle", "Love Blind" and the turgid "Lay Down Your Guns". This album is a mixed bag for me, very much half good and half poor. The best bits are "The Score", "Learning to Fly", "Step Aside" and "Mars, the Bringer of War".

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Rating Grade- B-