CORVUS STONE II

I don't know about the rest of you prog fans out there, but I have learned to look forward to every new album that features Colin Tench (and there are quite a few of them each year). His guitar never ceases to delight me. It's not that he dazzles with speed and technicality, although he does seem to be a master at many styles, it's that he always seems to know the right notes to play to make me want to listen more. And with Corvus Stone, he has found a band of equals in that respect.

Corvus Stone has managed to improve upon their wonderful debut album by just playing what they like. And what they like is sometimes psychedelic, or smoky art-blues, or Santana-ish jams, fusion, or even a prog-folk epic. There is not a bad track to be found here.

Each track intrigues as full-band arrangements, but also remains interesting when, as I often do, one listens to each instrument individually. I particularly enjoy Tench's David-Torn-like string pops and bends, and his and keyboardist Pasi Koivu's work on the track "Mystery Man". Petri Lemmy Lindström and Robert Wolff's intentionally stumbling rhythm on "Uncle Schunkle" gives me eargasms, and the aforementioned prog-folk epic, "Moaning Lisa" should not be missed.

I honestly cannot put into words just how much this album has lifted my spirits (at a time when I really needed it. Many thanks to the band and all the guest artists for this one.

And on a side note, Sonia Mota's ("Kati" here at Progarchives.com) cover is a sexy masterpiece, a perfect adornment for this album.