Prism - From the Vaults

From The Vaults is a collection of non-hits and alternate versions of songs by Vancouver, Canada's Prism. The bigger hits like "Coming Home," "Take Me Away," and "It's Over" are originals, but from there the songs become shallow and uninteresting. Even the charm and subtlety of "Rain" from Small Change has been altered slightly from the original, taking away some of it's frail beauty. Many of the songs are ballads, and while the easiness of Ron Tabak's singing is pleasing to the ear, much of these songs sound like filler from their late-'70s and early-'80s releases. Prism was known for their guitar throttle and stabbing synthesizer, which is not represented here at all. Songs like "Dirty Mind" and "Breakin' Away" are some of the better, lesser-known tunes included on this album, along with the Bryan Adams penned "Don't Count Me Out." For the most part, this album should be owned by collectors and die-hard fans. The original versions of these songs work better within their actual albums and should be heard there, amongst Prism's best music. ~ Mike DeGagne, All Music Guide