Starcastle - Concert Classics, Vol. 5 (CD)

All Music Guide

A perfunctory release of what could have been a very good live album, this is marred by some shocking sonic lapses. The performances themselves are perfectly good, highlighting much of the band's best material, such as "Lady of the Lake" and "Shine on Brightly," albeit in a live setting that has somewhat more warmth than the original studio renditions. The two lesser radio-fodder tracks, "Can't Think Twice" and "Could This Be Love," are paired together, which at least makes them convenient to skip. But there are several spots where the source tape warbled and changed speed in a most excruciating manner. No one at the record label appears to have been listening; since they occur during instrumentals and repeated choruses, there's absolutely no reason that they couldn't have been fixed with some judicious cutting and splicing. This is no Yessongs, granted, but surely Starcastle deserved better than this.

- Paul Collins, All Music Guide