THE LIGHT

I bought my first Spock's Beard album, The Light, a few months ago. I gave it a run-through at home, and at first thought I had spent my hard-earned euros unwisely. However, the last review before this my own effort by H.NOT made me decide to have another look at this album (surely I'd have done it anyway later rather than sooner...). I put it in the car CD, and for days I listened to it every time I drew my car.

And what a revelation! You simply must give this fantastic album a few listenings before passing a comment on it. The four songs open themselves slowly, but I am really, really happy now that I had the tenacity to give the album the time that it needed. How rewarding it was!

Apart from On The Edge, which lasts "only" just over six minutes and is a relatively straight forward rock tune with a couple of lovely riffs, The Light consists of long works that almost have it all: great compositions, witty yet touching lyrics, great instrumentation, fine musicianship, you name it - all the ingredients that make a brilliant prog album.

Then why only four stars? I just know it. I can give five stars to works that effect my way of thinking as a human being, like Bruckner's 4th Symphony, Stravinsky's Rite of Spring/Firebird, the works of Karol Szymanowski, Béla Bartók, and of course CTTE, Acquiring The Taste or Free Hand, and this is not up to them, albeit a fantastic introduction to a prog band. What I find most satisfying is that at last I have found a band that I think might progress to the highest class and - are still in function!