Prism - Small Change (Reissue) (1981/2008)

Small Change was the last album that Prism recorded before the band's demise (reorganizing with weaker personnel in 1988 and without the late Ron Tabak). Prism substituted its vigorous rock & roll sound for a more refined blend of soft rock amiability, which paid off to some extent. The vocals are toned down, the extravagance of the horns and synthesizers are absent, and the songs reflect a more adult-oriented feel. Written by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance, "Don't Let Him Know" is the album's best guitar-driven track, and represents Prism's late-'70s rock & roll sound better than any other. But "Turn on Your Radar" and "Rain," especially, are two of the group's best semi-ballads, containing some of the sharpest songwriting and use of melody that Prism has ever employed. Efforts such as "When Will I See You Again," "When Love Goes Wrong," and "Wings of Love" have the band taking the prettiness of the love song a little too far, and even the delicate piano and keyboard parts sound overly luscious. On the whole, Small Change was a sturdy farewell from one of Canada's most successful bands.