A marvellously eclectic mix of tracks from a true giant of true progressive music, this is a fantastic album which I have thoroughly enjoyed listening to this morning whilst having a rare hour to myself.
From the emotional beauty of Rebecca to the obvious Crimson influence of Mechanical Bride, this, alongside the best of Hackett's work, is not an easy or obvious listen for the first few times, but really has to be listened to regularly over a period of time in order to be fully appreciated.
The Crimson influences are strongest on Mechanical Bride and Serpentine Song, the former very much 21st Century Schizoid Man territory, whilst the latter is taken from the quieter moments on the same album, and the vocals on it are simply stunningly beautiful.
There are some wonderfully eccentric moments, the best for me being The Devil is an Englishman, which is simply a fun track in the middle of much of what is quite sad and melancholic.
Hackett also shows profound world music influences on The Silk Road. I love the percussive moments and Hackett's electric guitar but am not too keen on the vocals on this. It would, of course, be very interesting to see him & Gabriel collaborate on a pure world music work.
In all phases of the album, be it the quieter or schizoid moments, Hackett's guitar playing is simply wonderful. The Moon Under Water is a great acoustic piece, which reminds me a bit of Blood on the Rooftops. The acoustic mood is also very strong on Strutton Ground, a lovely piece of music which takes us on a journey of discovery.
Hackett has also surrounded himself, again, with musicians of the highest quality.
This is not, by any means, the perfect album, but it easily classifies itself as an excellent addition to any prog collection, certainly for those who have yet to explore the solo works of former Genesis members.
An album which in retrospect I enjoy more than this review suggests
The follow up to the exceptionally good The Last Bright Light, I pre-ordered this and awaited it with bated breath when released back in 2003. I love this band, but still have mixed feelings about the overall quality of the whole. Some is sublime, whilst other parts are throwaway.
The opener Somewhere in Between and its successor Pure White Light are good examples. Both see the band trying their utmost to become more than a band regarded as an interesting prog folk outfit with heavy Floyd leanings, into a band that has a good chance of getting airplay on BBC Radio. Both are very radio friendly, the first Findlay led, the second with Josh. Neither are bad tracks - they don't make bad music - but they are very untypical of what they are and can produce.
Another Life is far more like it. Co-written by Findlay and Iain Jennings, who is in my opinion a very underrated and unsung keyboardist, this is a fine ballad. Heather Findlay has the most lovely and ethereal voice, and she uses it to great effect on this, a tribute to her dead father. The Josh solo towards the end, followed by the keyboard moods and Findlay's chants, are fantastic.
Bitterness Brunt features the great Angela Goldthorpe, now sadly gone from the band, accompanying Findlay on the flute. This track is very Celtic in its tone and outlook and would not have been out of place on the predecessor work. I love the violin at the end of the track.
Caught in a Fold is rockier and proves that Findlay can belt out the vocals with the best of them. Jennings is in fine "Jon Lord" form on the Hammond, and the track has great Josh work and flute working in harmony. Not great, a filler, but good, nonetheless. The mid flute section could almost be Jethro Tull in their heyday.
The Simple Ways reverts to a Bryan Josh vocal. He does take some getting used to, but the perseverance is worth it, and this track has him and Findlay harmonising very nicely. Another reversion to their Celtic roots, this is good. I also think that Josh should be regarded as a great guitarist in his own right, and not merely as a Gilmour clone. He is far too good and original for that, and the solo midway through again proves this. The flute again features very strongly as the track fades into his final two minutes, and Jennings is once again superb on keyboards, creating a lush and full mood and sound.
First Thought follows. This features some fine guitar backing to a quite mournful and lovely Findlay vocal. This track reminds one of why a lot of people listening to the band wish she sang on every track!
The title track proves it even more strongly. One of the finest tracks this great band have ever produced, Findlay's vocals throughout are delicate and fragile. Jennings is again on fine form, with a wall of keyboard sound and delicate piano, in turns, backing her, before Josh again shows us just how good he is with an incredible solo to close the song. Fantastic and essential - even if you don't want to "risk" buying the whole album, make sure you download this track alone.
Although only five minutes long, Distant Train is perhaps a tad too long. Reminiscent of Mike Oldfield at the start, this track is rescued by some fine Josh guitars at the end. All fans of classic, hard, and heavy rock will love this sequence.
Answer The Question is rockier and a poorer track, and one the album could have done without.
And so, to the three-part conclusion of the album, Pass The Clock. Absolutely superb, this is the reason why I love this band. Part One is quiet with Josh & Findlay harmonising very well, backed by acoustic guitars and piano. Part Two picks up the pace, and Jennings again excels on the organ. More strings add an almost Romany texture to the mid-section before the riffs calm away to moodier piano and acoustic guitars. Chris Leslie plays the violin, and damned fine he is too. Part Three is a great end to a great track. Both vocalists contribute so much, it is exceedingly simple and more effective for that. Relentlessly upbeat, especially the incredible Josh guitar break proving he is very much his own man with his own signature sound.
Very good, but there might be better places to start if you have never heard them before.
This is a fantastic album, modern prog at its best.
Rob Snowden's vocals are amazing, and the keyboards of Nolan, rhythm section of Pointer & Salmon, along with great guitar work by Mitchell complement him very well.
The album has a great rock feel, but also includes the rich textures of sounds that prog fans long for in modern bands. It is certainly a grower, getting better with each & every listen. It is entertaining, original, and does not fall into the trap of trying to sound like a copy of classic prog bands.
Highly recommended.