THE BOX

If you're going to play all of the instruments on an album barring for assistance from others on a very few tracks then you had better be a damn good song writer to attract my attention because I doubt that you are going to be a master of all of the instruments that you play. Further than that if you are going to use artificial drums to any extent then it is very rare that I'm going to listen to your music.

I got hold of this album due to the fact that the artist is categorised as neo-prog here and I have a thing for neo-prog. With this album it was kind of a "curiosity didn't kill the cat" experience. I don't love the album but I don't dislike it either and part of the reason for that is that this work is a treasure chest of musical ideas and there are many moments that I love herein. One of the attractions for me with this is Ian Gordon's voice which is very similar to that of David Bowie. I love theatrics and drama in music and this has a lot of those elements in spades. The keyboard and lead guitar work are very well done.

Quoted from the artist himself as I couldn't say it better - "I grew up in a small town in Northern England. There I discovered the very things that would inspire me to compose "The Box", from the eerie woods and stories of 'lost souls', to the house I grew up in and the clutter that gave it character. My first musical influences were those who weren't afraid to tell stories; Genesis, Rush and Iron Maiden amongst others. The progressive influence introduced me to the idea of experimentation, and much of the material that makes up "The Box" is a result of that experimentation. Conceptually, the idea of one becoming 'lost' in some distant land was the catalyst for the story; in which a process of rediscovery would have to be undertaken in order for one to remember who they truly were. Being a fan of the surreal and the macabre, this concept evolved into something much more elaborate. Conceived in the winter of 1999, a full 10 years passed before "The Box" was finally recorded. It has been a labour of love, and I'm proud to share it with the world at last"

I do find that in places the album is disjointed and that sometimes it is a patchwork of musical ideas however for the wealth of musical ideas throughout this and for the many moments of pure musical magic I have to give it major credit. There are many who believe that albums should be cut down in size in order to make them more coherent in what they are trying to achieve however I don't necessarily agree with that at all - there is two hours of music here and if I can find an hours worth of magic in such an album then I'm totally satisfied - I found way more than hours worth of pleasure here. It is a massive work especially considering the fact that it is from an artist relatively new to the musical field. If you loved Gabriel era Genesis then don't hesitate trying this on. A solid four stars from me for taking me on a musical journey.