MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

This is another tough call between 4 or 5 stars because it's a really magnificent debut from this very entertaining band. On the other hand somehow it fails to be a real masterpiece for me but I can't really explain why. I mean there are some great tracks on this album and there is quite some variety between the songs if you compare it with other Jadis albums. I did give the successor (Across the Water) 5 stars although I must admit this was also a close call. But what I liked about that one was the overall Jadis sound coming through a hundred percent and that's what I like. That aspect is failing a little bit on this album. You don't get in the true Jadis groove with this album maybe because of the variety.

The album starts great with Sleepwalk with a tremendous guitar intro by Gary. But then the next two songs are not really the best they ever produced. Still good songs but somewhat less. Wonderful world is another great one almost epic for Jadis standards. Also great guitar passages on this song. Then comes the title track, a wonderful ballad but not really Jadis to me. Then a straightforward Jadissong again, a really nice one I believe. Grand finale of the album is Holding your breath, probably my favourite Jadis song ever in which Chandler is really giving everything he has, superb instrumental track.

So summarizing it's really heard but I let my feeling about it do the job and then it's going to be 4 stars though actually 4.5.