TALES FROM THE GREEN SOFA

Largely forgettable yet never bad. This band is like 50% Camel 50% Jazz fusion. The end result is a sound I would classify as Canterbury Scene. The vocals are mixed low but audible and are serviceable. The music is very loungy, at its worst sounding like elevator music/ambient. The better parts have some engaging work, particularly when the keys play something as opposed to the guitar.

The first track is my least favourite, to long and boring with lame melodies.

The second track is mostly the same, picking up towards the end for a great vocal/key combo, nice.

The third track opens in a similar vein as the second tracks ending and manages to mostly keep the energy level up. The vocals are a lot better on this one compared to the first track.

Gone margarita opens with more guitar lines that are quickly joined by deep vocals that remind me of Leonard Cohen and ice cool keyboard chords. Then another guitar solo begins, this time it is accompanied by other instruments and it doesn't go on for to long without some changing sections being added and continuing in a faster paced mood reminding me of Ain Soph at their best. This part of the song is engaging and great, very well done.

Tales from the green sofa opens up with chipper guitar, an acceptable change from the melancholy of the prior tracks. Without wearing its welcome the song gives way to some great keyboard work. Vocals then are introduced by guitar. The vocals here have some backup vocals and are louder. The vocals are somewhat happy yet not saccharine sweet, they are rather good. Excellent organ(?) work then occurs for some time with some good music happening. More keyboard oriented then most of the tracks it really works well, the band gels on this song. Different vocals come in over acoustic chords at around 7:30, the slurred (might just be the accent) delivery works well. Taking the song to a strong finish in the last two minutes is a shifting landscape of music that flows seamlessly. I find a lot of this last stretch to be unnecessary, they should have ended the song at around 10:00.

The final song is the first song part two. It opens with the vocals typical of this album with some fret less bass and keyboard, not bad. The vocals here are to AOR for my taste, still they are acceptable. Then a chill guitar solo enters the equation. Vocals return after about a minute and the song ends with literally nothing for a minute.

This is a good album, although it has enough flaws to be 3/5. All of the songs, save Gone Margarita could use a trim, they are just to long and some of the guitar solos sound to sparse, not enough accompaniment, feels like listening to air passing.