Passport-Oceanliner (1980)

As a general rule, Passport albums tend to reflect the era in which they were released, and that's precisely what "Oceanliner", released in 1980, clearly demonstrates. That year, Klaus Doldinger had made some substantial changes to the band. Kevin Mulligan's energetic guitar, Hendrik Schaper's sinuous keyboards, and Dieter Petereit's playful bass remained, while David Crigger took over on drums and percussion, replacing Willy Ketzer. "Oceanliner" is the German band's tenth album chronologically and also the one that showcases their early influences of 1980s synth-jazz, with various funk nuances and even hints of melodic pop-rock. The opening tracks "Departure" and "Allegory" showcase the aforementioned influences, with Doldinger playing the Lyricon, a synthesized wind instrument. In contrast, "Ancient Saga" features Mulligan's impressive guitar work. The engaging, funky "Oceanliner", the catchy vocal fusion "Uptown Rendezvous", the galloping jazz-rock "Rub-A-Dub", and the dynamic, atmospheric "Bassride", brilliantly executed by Petereit on bass, round out another commendable jazz-rock/fusion album from this legendary German band.