a lot of fine folks love this album, critic and non-critic alike, so don't let me drive you away, but i've tried getting into this album more than a few times over the years, and i made another attempt yesterday, and it's just not working for me. i am not one who automatically dislikes slick polished production on an album, but with this group i just don't feel it works. i love the raw power of their 1st album, and ditto the live set"full house," this turn toward the mainstream forsakes those blues-rocker days in favor of funk, ballads, shuffles, and arena rock. i want to love it. i just don't. the title track"monkey island," is fine, nothing much else here strikes me so. very professional sounding, very uninspiring. mediocre material from a band that did much better elsewhere. sorry.