THE WORLD AT MINDS END

Ahh, truly the definition of a gem, this one. Skywhale was, in a nutshell, 7 amazing musicians rounded up and put together by guitarist extraordinaire Steve Robshaw. The World At Minds End is the one LP they left us in their unfortunately short-lived existence. Previously this was only available on vinyl, and it also happens to be one of the rarer ones out there. Luckily for us it was recently remastered and released on CD, which is how I was finally able to get a copy after hearing so much about it.

Probably the greatest thing about this album, aside from the exceptionally creative songwriting/arrangements and gifted musicians, is the energy they create as a band. In every song the tempo rises and they'll soar to a height that even revered veterans of the music world would be envious of.

The songwriting itself has an atmosphere and creativity that you just don't see very often in music. The music is consistent and thematic, and the arranging of different instruments to take hold of the melodies, often simultaneously, keeps the melodies interesting throughout every song of every album. Sporadically placed are spots in between these melodies in which the musicians are given chances to improvise, giving them a healthy chance to showcase their talents. And indeed they do, all the improvisation is highly inspired and consistent with the music, fitting in seamlessly.

This masterpiece will certainly remain one of my all-time favorites. I'm very fortunate I was able to hear about this one thanks to the internet, now that they're on ProgArchives hopefully many others will get a chance to hear it. Get this one just in case it vanishes into obscurity again folks! You won't regret it.