Losimba Third Stage was my first Boston album, and I got it not long after its release. I can remember very well that a friend of mine gave it to me, saying "It is said to be Hard Rock but doesn't sound like it". Depending on the definition of Hard Rock, he may be right or not, because Third Stage is as melodic as every Boston album. The two differences are that it is a concept album (and yes, the rating would be lower if it were not) and the introduction of Tom Scholz's biggest achievement, the Rockman. Please forgive me for not explaining the details of this little device, I'm not a guitar technician.

The songs sound consistent. They're all based on guitars in the typical Boston sound with the odd interlude on a Grand Piano, according to the sleeve a real Steinway. None of them is really bad, but some of them are simply not as good as the others. On the other hand, there are two excellent ones, the opener Amanda and Cant'cha Say (You Believe In Me), and two absolute standouts: Hollyann, the final track, has always been one of my favourite ballads, while I used the first instrumental track, The Launch, as my signature melody and intro whenever I was DJing.

In the end Third Stage is a really good album. Though the slight weaknesses, the biggest of them the short playing time of just 36 and a half minutes, prevent a five star rating, the concept bonus lifts it to four and a half which it thoroughly deserves.