FANFARE & FANTASY

Comedy of Errors is not a new name for me but ...honestly I only knew this album very late or roughly around a month ago. It blew me away at first spin and I kept playing the album over and over with no sense or indication of getting bored with the music. Yes, it's a pure neo prog music they play here in this album and the music is very close with what Pendragon and not quite close with Marillion. It's really mind boggling from start to end. The opening track "Fanfare For The Broken Hearted" (9:06) starts off beautifully with powerful vocal of Joe Cairney and its ambient musical background in neoprog typical flow. There are no dynamic punch throughout the song but for sure there are beautifully crafted segments and transitions presented by the band from start to end especially with its inventive keyboard effects as well as thinly mixed guitar work. Vocal is the dominating factor in this track even though it is backed up beautifully with great composition. The guitar solo is really stunning and mixed softly in the music. It's a very cool opening track. really!

The next track "Something She Said" (7:17) continues with a kind of Van der Graaf Generator style but composed with simpler one so that it can be accepted by most music buffs. Again, the keyboard played by Jim Johnston plays significant role to shape up what an excellent compositions are - he sometimes maneuvers through a piano work to augment vocal line which still holds an important role. The semi staccato style combined with inventive keyboard work at the background have made the song sounds even wonderful and makes me willing to replay the song for the sake of ultimate enjoyment. Oh man ... I love the keyboard work as well as stunning guitar solo.

" In A Lifetime" provides me like a break with a nice opening of ambient keyboard and Hackettian guitar - but then the music provides a dynamic punch followed with a powerful vocal line that reminds me to Pendragon music. There are simple riffs as the music goes accompanying the vocal in relatively medium tempo style. There are nice breaks and transition pieces in this relatively short track.

"Going For A Song" starts off with guitar fills that reminds me to the style of Hackett followed with vocal line - makes the music flows in ambient style. The intro part is nice and it is a reminiscent of Genesis music. As the music moves into complex arrangements, the keyboard takes full responsibility to provide the rhythm section altogether with guitar work to accompany vocal line. Again I enjoy the intertwining roles of guitar and keyboard that are wonderfully played throughout the interlude parts. Mark Spalding is an excellent guitarist.

"Merry Dance" is relatively a short track but it has a very nice grooves and rhythm section that provide an excellent platform for the vocal to shape an overall melody line. The keyboard solo is also stunning during the transition pieces. Guitar is played differently right here. There are keyboard work that sounds like a mellotron at the background that makes the song like a vintage symphonic prog music. It's a nice song.

"The Cause" starts with a blast of music that suddenly goes silent followed with an ambient music comprises soft keyboard work and Floydian guitar solo. The vocal enters in the vein of Pendragon singing style. The vocalist has a great voce as well as excellent accentuation throughout the song. "They separate religion ...they separate the schools" he sings nicely. I think his singing style is really cool throughout this song especially when it is then followed with great guitar solo and nice keyboard at background. There are parts with a bit complex in terms of arrangements where the tempo suddenly change into a faster one with powerful singing, inventive keyboard work and excellent guitar riffs. The keyboard solo that follows is really cool. This might be the best track from this wonderfully crafted album! The bass player also given a chance to perform his solo as transition to a long stunning guitar solo (a bit raw than previous solo in previous tracks - but it's really cool!(.

I am not gonna review all other remaining tracks but for sure this is a masterpiece neoprog album one should have. The fans of symphonic prog would also love this album as well. Keep on proggin' ...!

Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW

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