THE CLOCKWORK UNIVERSE

Wow! Okay, I will try to limit my gushing here. All gushing does is tell people the reviewer really likes the album, which doesn't mean anyone else will. So I'll try to comment on specifics of the music and keep emotion out of it. Even though this album is really, really good. For the sake of references, musically, the 6th Thieves' Kitchen album reminds me a little of 'Hatfield & The North'. Much more so than previous releases. The composition, and even the sound of the keyboards remind me of Dave Stewart. The beautiful first track, 'The Library Song' opens with piano chords that call to mind the intro to 'Mumps', from 'The Rotters' Club'. The continual change of complex chords is pure ear candy to these ears, and when Amy Darby's voice arrives, it's like chocolate mousse. Amy has never sounded sweeter, with beautiful vibrato that holds notes over changing chords and superb melodies for her to sing her meaningful and compelling lyrics with obvious passion. When this track ended I was left with the impression that this was the finest piece of music in the entire TK catalogue. But it didn't stop there. 'Railway Time' continued this quality with a 'chorus', I'll call it, that echoed in my mind after the album was over, still giving me chills. Each track, in fact, is brilliantly crafted past the point of 98% of today's music, to a place where it becomes fine art. I would be amiss not to mention the album's opus, 'The Scientist's Wife'. The uber-tight instrumental climax to this 20-minute epic really has to be heard to fully appreciate. As usual, Thieves' Kitchen's musicianship is top-notch here. Phil Mercy's fluid crescendos, especially in the aforementioned climax display a rare talent that is undeniable. But again, where Phil and Thomas Johnson have really cranked things up a notch or three, is in the composition, making this, in this reviewers opinion, their strongest album to date without question. I remember when Dave Stewart wrote music like this.