Keep - DG-581. 1981 Japan

At one point 20 years ago, I possessed both the Keep albums on LP, and thought the second was far better and edgier. And sold this one. Now I have this one rated higher after a revisit. And while I do agree still that the second album is more rock influenced, I appreciate the songwriting on DG-581 more. The slick sounds can be initially off putting, but to genre fans it's part of the package. But there's a lot of depth to these compositions, and the melodies can put a smile on your face. The usual suspects like Weather Report and Return to Forever can be called out as influences, along with a host of indigenous bands doing the same (not the least, related band Prism).

Personal collection
CD: 2011 Clinck

To the best of my knowledge the Japanese mini-LP on Clinck was not released separately with an obi, but rather it is part of a 5 CD package called J-Fusion Masterpiece Collectors' Box.

Keep - II (Rock'n Rocked Rock). 1982 Japan

Despite the subtitle Rock'n Rocked Rock, Keep's second album is definitely a fusion affair, similar to their contemporaries like Crosswind, Prism, and Casiopea. But the separator here is the ferocity of the instrumental work - recalling edgier outfits of the early 70s like Mahavishnu Orchestra. 'Aristocrat Bachelor' is the definite highlight here, and is closer to heavy progressive rock than jazz.

CD: 2011 Clinck
LP: 1982 Trash
CD: 1999 Vivid Sound

The original LP is a typical single sleeve with requisite obi. I sold my copy of the LP when the first edition CD came out (1999 Vivid Sound). And it was a bear to find. I finally had to ask a friend who worked at Marquee in Tokyo to send me one.

April 2017 update: I recently discovered another mini-LP version, this time as part of a 4 CD box set called J-Fusion Masterpiece Collectors' Box, which I now possess.