HERO AND HEROINE

This particular albuim is very enjoyable in many ways and would appeal to the senses of many prog fans. The songwriting is very well done and Cousin's vocals are partiularly good. The general atmosphere throughout the albums is lush and inviting, yet full of emotion and eventually, great amounts of depression. first four songs are a typical collection of songs, each well-crafted and pleasing in their own right. The opener, arguably the best song on the albums is a multi-part suite which cohesively presents itself as a timeless masterpiece. The song flows seamlessly between the interesting opening that for some reason reminds me of King Crimson and ends up to a beautiful piano-backed piece that truly rings out in majesty, leaving the listener in awe; moved by the emotional content. The next song, "Sad Young Man" is a haunting ballad that borrows less from their folk background in favor in the lush melodies of symphonic. The next song is a great pop song with happy upbeat guitars, a typical love song which was most likely a single designed for radio. Finally "Shine on Silver Sun" is a typical song from the band with excellent vocal harmonies and a somewhat catchy piano melody. After that, the listener is immediately whisked away with the opening riff of "Hero and Heroine" in to the side long group of songs which is the basis for a good amount of this album's praise. The first part is a good blend of the band's folk roots with the instrumentation of prog. The lyrics grow melancholy from here. The rest of the songs flow very well, so it is somewhat hard to tell when one ends and the next begin, but it a part of the album's charm. The styles range from the melodic folk of "Midnight Sun" to the almost epic symphonic-based style of "Round and Round." Each song offers a new melody or progression for which the song is pushed further and enhances the album as a whole. Electric guitar is prominent, perhaps more so than other folk-based bands, but it does not detract from the experience at all, and is further enhanced by mellotron or piano at points, and are always helped by the vocals.

In conclusion, this albums offers the listener with very pleasant and melodic content with the occasional powerful riff or the occasional moment of great passion which can not be recreated. The album draws a lot of its stregth through it's links in theme and music, forming a cohesive work where the music was able to progress to a great album. I have very few complaints about this album and can highly recommend it as an excellent addition to any prog music collection.

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