Although one can only wonder at the braveness or brashness of the decision to release an album like Dazzle Ships, there are no reasons to doubt the integrity and intelligence of the finished product. Dazzle Ships bears little resemblance to anything put together by the similar bands of the times. It's a bold statement of the time, an abstract vision of the future and now a relished piece of the past. It has in no way worn in effectiveness upon consecutive listens. In many ways it's strength and power remain intact as we peer around the socio-political landscape of today's world. The same cold war fears re-emerge manifested by now a different , the same concerns regarding genetic engineering resonate more now than ever. This album was a social and political statement performed with more conscience and intelligence than any other band I've known. It is a masterpiece of the time and serves as a time capsule for the concerns and fears of humanity through that time. It opens eyes to a world beyond your own. You hear time zones melt together to create a sense of unity across space. Romance of the Telescope with it's sustained bleakness and beautiful melody can only be conjured and understood in a surreal emptiness. Musically and conceptually the album is one of the masterpieces of modern art performed and executed with intelligence and care. A resounding monument to a style that's to some seems passe but bears more weight than ever.