PLACES UNSEEN

I rarely give an album 5 stars. And in fact, this is the only Cirrus Bay album that I feel is worth the rating. But this album hits all the sweet spots for me. I like the fact that it is about 2/3 instrumental (previously most all my favorite moments of theirs were the instrumental sections). But new vocalist Tai Shan has such a beautiful voice that I actually enjoy the vocal sections just as much. The writing is top notch on this album. The music is a perfect blend of beautiful and complex, and the playing also seems better on this album than previous albums. My favorite is clearly the album's finale, "Second Departure". Wow what a beautiful piece of music. And "Horseback to Hanssonland" is a wonderful tribute to Bo Hansson, capturing the mood of his music very well. "The Sheltering Cove" and the title track are also lovely. The cover artwork is also outstanding, a perfect fit. I can tell this will also be a grower, as usual.