Credits:The MissionDescription:Mostbandsusuallywaittwoorthreealbumsbeforethe"bigstatement,"butthisistheMission.Sure,theirdebutwaswellreceived(atleastbyfansandrecordbuyers)andwasfullofbig,dramaticmomentsandoverthetopproduction,butnothingwouldequaltheband'sreachonitsfollow-up,Children.Kickingoffwithoneofthelongestfade-insinrockhistory,Childrenisasprawling(hell,tonotcallanyalbumthatstartsoutwithaseven-plus-minute"intro"songsprawlingisjustwrong),larger-than-the-sum-of-its-partsaffair,withmulti-layeredarrangements,numerousstrings,vocals,guitars,andotherinstrumentsoneverytrack,andaindescribablefeelthatjustmakesthealbumseemmuchlongerthanitreallyis.Theroughedgesaresmoothedout,andWayneHussey's12-stringsoundscleanerandmoreshimmerythanbefore.Asforthesongsthemselves,thesingles"TowerofStrength"and"KingdomCome"obviouslystandout,but"Fabienne,""Heat,""Child'sPlay,"and"WingandaPrayer"stillrock(albeitinaratherburied-in-productionkindofway)and"