It's hard to say. I think that 'Tormato' was their weakest album up to that point though, and the demos I've heard from that late 70s period are also not great IMHO.
I don't think FFH was 'great', though for some that opinion is seemingly a crime. I think it was good, but nearly three years on it's not in much rotation for me. I like it more than 'Talk', 'Union' and 'Open Your Eyes'...but not as much as the Keys albums (which weren't 'great' either but have more musical substance for me), 'The Ladder' or 'Magnification'. And I think, although I've never gotten into it beyond the first three songs, 'Talk' is probably the better album from an objective standpoint.
I think the difference between 'Mind Drive' not getting criticised as opposed to FFH is that 'Mind Drive' wasn't really a fully developed song (although I was indeed disappointed upon realising that the best thing on those albums was an old idea). Some of the FFH album was.
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