NEW WORLD (DELUXE EDITION)

You've already been told that it sounds like Pink Floyd ad nauseum. [Yawn] To my classical ears, it, like everything else written since 1734, sounds like Bach's Brandenburg Concertos (or some derivative thereof). OK, I exaggerate, but you get the point. This is not a melodic copy of anyone, even though, stylistically, one could pick out any number of analogues.

The album is a long programmatic piece (or "concept album" as prog-heads call it) about a chap making his long way home across a desert, which gives the artist a broad, flexible canvas to paint some lyrics. The lyrics are not abstruse - IMHO something that is welcome as I don't need to undertake some Tolstoyesque deconstruction.

Musically, it is full of melody and sweeping harmony, avoiding discordance along the way. Whilst being programmatic, it is not gapless, with brief pauses between each track. This probably doesn't help, but to get an idea, my other half hates prog, but she described this as quite acceptable and inoffensive! (Dave, if you read this, that's not an insult. Honestly.) The guitar solos avoid squealing cacophony and stick to the easier-on-the-ear noodles. The quality of the musicianship is second to none ' this really is an assemblage of the very best ' and it sounds like it.

Only one teensy weensy niggle: is that creative digital clipping I hear on Ocean of Stars? Not a fan: personally, I would personally have gone for the unclipped version on such a melodic track, or for some mild limiting at most. (And if it's not clipped: my bad. :) )

What do I think? Well, I love melody, especially big sweeping melody, and when I first heard this, whereas my normal reaction on hearing a good track is "hmmm' that's not bad", when I first heard this album, my reaction was "f**king hell - this is extraordinary!" as the hairs on my neck erected! I don't just like it, I love it; and, if you also love big sweeping melodies, you'll also love this. Indeed, of this particular sub-genre, I'd say that it is essential listening - a masterpiece - and for that reason, it must get the full 5. Already looking forward to album 2 and a UK tour. :)

One other note: I recommend buying the 24-bit 96k FLAC download, which also includes the shorter non-deluxe version. The shorter version includes less tracks and also some of the tracks themselves are shorter. Personally, I prefer this version: in the age of "unlimited" digital downloads, why leave good quality music on the cutting room floor?