LAUGHING STOCK

"Laughing Stock" is "Spirit Of Eden" twin album: same cover style, same music style. This time though, the music is centered on acoustic instruments (the main reason why bassist Paul Webb left... he didn't have much stuff to do on the last album, and on this one it would have been even less) and the differences between the jazz/rock parts and the ambient parts are even more stressed. But if "Spirit Of Eden" managed to keep the listener focused almost through the whole album, "Laughing Stock" has many weak/boring parts. In conclusion... a half filled half empty bottle.

The opener "Myrrhman" is one of the simple ambient songs - a continuation from the last song "Wealth" from the last album. "Ascension Day" is the heaviest song on the album - a wonderful mix of jazz and rock that ends up with heavy guitar riffing (but why that brutal ending? an error during the mix?). "After The Flood" and "New Grass" are two epic songs (almost 10 minutes) - two beautiful soundscapes that grow minute by minute using the full potential of all the acoustic instruments. Unfortunately the last two tracks "Taphead" and "Runeii" are so minimalistic they become boring fast.

Rating: 65/100 (average)