AS GOOD AS GOLD

This is another more than decent offering from this excellent band. The title track is, of course, off "The Masquerade Overture" (the bonus disc on the special edition of that album also has this single version on it!) Although most fans will have it on the album, this EP is worth having for the other three tracks on offer here. "Bird Of Paradise" is a good example of Nick Barrett's songwriting skills. For all his blistering talent on guitar, he knows when to keep the instrument more in the background on some songs, and to let the melody and arrangements shine through. On this one there are no stunning solos, but simply some nice gentle playing throughout. A good song. "Midnight Running" is another typical Barrett effort. Nice guitar again, and a jaunty, pleasant rhythm from the bass and drums, which changes nicely for the chorus. The keyboards, as is usual with Clive Nolan, fill out the sound admirably. Last track is "A Million Miles Away". This is a slower number, almost spacey, with very little guitar, Instead, the strength of this piece lies in the haunting little melody. which suits Nick Barrett's voice superbly. The shortest track on the EP, this one is probably my favourite. It shows that Barrett can sing far better than his critics give him credit for, when the song and the mood take him. All in all, I prefer "Fallen Dreams And Angels", as that EP is very strong in all departments. This one is mellower and maybe doesn't stand out so much, but it is still worth having. Pendragon fans will love it.