THE WAY

I have waited some time from first Spin to this review, mainly because I also had lots of other CD's to run the old ear over! Anyway this CD has had a REALLY big impact on me since the first spin blew me away. Yes this is definately a five star Essential addition to your collection if symphonic prog is your bag. It starts with a peach of a track - "Time to Understand" a nice 14 minute's that flows from am agressive ELP like opening into flowing string synths and Yes like vocal passages. The opener ends with an epic Hackettesque solo with awesome mellotron chord's filling in for the thrilling orchestral finale that is also featured in the magnificent epic, track No 2 "Spring knocks on the door of Men". This track is like the Flower Kings - a point a few other reviewers have pointed out - but it's not direct plagiarism - it's just bloody brilliant, again you have Hackett like guitar breaks - and a bit right out of "Spectral Mornings" - I just can't get enough of it. This nicely long track ends with a symphonic riff that would bring a tear to the eye of a pickled gherkin, picked out with a woodwind instrument then reprised with soaring layered synths - just gobsmacking really. Then you have two delightful shorter tracks which again showcase magnificent musicianship and they just have a feel of English prog from 1975/76 - and the fourth track "Cosmic Man" end's with a bit that lifts "Wurm" from Starship Trooper - but it's a progressive lift. If you like the Flowerkings/Yes/Genesis with a bit of Floyd/IQ and I suppose "The Enid" then you are going to like this - Trust me I know what I'm talking about......