Quid Pro Quo [Import]

As a long-time Quo fan, I really like this album but this comes as no surprise to me. To me, Quid Pro Quo sounds like the culmination of Status Quo rediscovering their soul (their `Quoness' if you like) that started with Under the Influence in 1999, continued with Heavy Traffic in 2002 and was consolidated on The Party Ain't Over Yet (2005) and In Search of the Forth Chord (2007). After the best part of 20 years of trying not to be the Quo we know and love, the period from 99 onwards was, for the most part, a return to Quo rocking out in a way only they can, interspersed with gentler moments - just like the classic period in the early 70s.
Quid Pro Quo (in parts) is the heaviest of these new Quo classics and has plenty of `attack' and aggression akin (to me at least) to On the Level or Blue for You. While I don't adore every track, those I do like I believe will become Quo classics. Two Way Traffic is fast and raucous in a way that reminds me of Is There A Better Way from Blue for You; Dust to Gold and Frozen Hero (my two favourite tracks) have that unmistakable Quo hardness and shuffle but sound quite contemporary. Movin' On is another track that wouldn't have sounded out of place on On the Level or Blue for You such is it's pace and heaviness, but also its catchy melody. These tracks are, I believe, special and could quite happily sit alongside Caroline, Roll Over Lay Down, Backwater etc. in the Quo `Hall of Fame'.
In addition to these, Rock n Roll n You, Leave a Little Light On, Let's Rock and Better than That rock along quite nicely for me and are as enjoyable as anything Quo have ever done.
What stops Quid Pro Quo from getting the full 5 stars (which I don't give out often) for me is that while I love the aforementioned tracks, some of the others I could take or leave. I don't understand why artists now pack as many songs on an album as possible (I have one by Tori Amos that has something like 23 tracks!). If Quid Pro Quo had stuck to 10 or 12 tracks, then I would be talking about one of the finest Quo albums period. Then again, the few tracks I could live without will probably be some Quo fans' faves such is the band's wide appeal, so don't let this put you off.
Furthermore, what makes the truly classic Quo albums classic is the mix of lighter tracks with the full-on 12 bar onslaught. There is no track akin to All the Reasons, A Year, Gurdundula, Lonely Man, Living on an Island etc. to break up the album and for this reason it's a 4 star rather than 5 star album.
In conclusion, for me, Quid Pro Quo is a very welcome addition to my Quo collection containing some really classic tracks. If this was to be Quo's final album (which is possible) then it's not a bad way to bow out with the crunching guitars, catchy melodies and 12 bar mayhem reminding me why I loved them in the first place.

5 stars without any hesitation. I ordered this 10 Jun and it only arrived at noon today. Why the delay? And why is there no (apparent) retail outlet except Tesco?? It's no way to promote/publicise/sell one of the best Quo albums for a while. Anyway - from the opening riffs of "Two Way Traffic" I had what my wife calls the "Quo Grin" - I just can't stop smiling and moving. Nearly all the tracks are good "Movin On/Leave a little light/Frozen Hero" are personal faves. I own ALL their records (inc the many repeat compilations - more than Elvis I suspect), and have watched/heard all the changes and ups and downs, and this I assure you dear readers is an "Up". The best live band in the world give us a bonus here-not the best live recording but still very good if predictable, but that's what we want, and what makes Quo so great. Buy this, fans or not. It's great.

OK, you can ignore the five stars if you want, but I happen to love this album and 'I love it' is Amazon's five star criteria, so there. I'll be the first to admit, however, that the five studio albums Quo made between 1972 and 1976 plus 'Quo Live' are head and shoulders above anything they've done in the last thirty years, and this doesn't change that.

The good news though is that this is the band's heaviest offering since '1+9+8+2'. Quo regained some of their old ground with 'Heavy Traffic' around ten years ago and their two albums since largely held it, but all three occasionally betray Francis Rossi's pop leanings. That weakness is virtually extinguished on 'Quid Pro Quo', which is most certainly a rocker. Rossi and Mike Paxman produced the album, endowing it with a hard sound that brings out the band's familiar rhythms to maximum effect. Most of the tracks are taken at an above average to high tempo and there are no slow blues or limp ballads.

The album could do with the odd stand out track. The songs themselves are all what might be described as good to very good album tracks but there are no killers. The whole is totally dependent on style and production.

Lyrics in Quo's 'classic' period rarely amounted to much, but it never mattered. It's noticeable, however, that Rossi is quite articulate these days, whereas Rick Parfitt still writes cliches, as 'Let's Rock' demonstrates.

As for the live disc, well, how many versions of the old favourites do you want? Still, 'Down Down' and some of the others still offer thrills, so I'll take it.

But five stars? Yeah, I know. But against the dull, dismal stuff that pollutes the airwaves these days, 'Quid Pro Quo' is a breath of fresh air to blow all that away. The rest are playing at it; this is a reminder of the real business.