SAND

I gave this album a couple of listens when I first became aware of it, liked it and thought I might return to it at some stage in the future. Within a few days the album was topping the PA 2017 album chart. Its sudden appearance at the top of the chart appears to have been due to its receiving no fewer than four reviews by PA Collaborators. I studied these reviews and am glad that I did as one of them drew my attention to the album creator, Ken Baird, and his solo work which I have now checked out and enjoyed (particularly Martin Road).

As for Monarch Trail, I was aware of and enjoyed their debut release Skye. Sand is certainly a stronger album and given the attention that it has received from ProgArchives I have listened to it many more times. It is a lovely album from beginning to end and deserves a rating of between four and four and a half stars.