" We have spent over forty year recording and listening to the older generation of singers and, when we could, we asked them what they considered to be the most important aspect of their songs - each time the reply was "the story" " 

" I have yet to hear instrumental breaks be anything other than interruptions to a narrative and the longer the break, the greater the interruption" 

" Can I add that I feel the same way about the over-use of vocal ornamentation." 

Three 'likes' by Vic Smith for comments by Jim Carroll! He must be going soft in his old age - nothing to disagree with either.