SAMURAI

Samurai's first and only album under that name is (previous known as The Web) blends the jazzy and brass sounds with pure progressive rock elements but keeping more to the rock side. The jazzy brass instruments provide the unique melodies and the themes to the songs and numerous solos over very structures songs.Dave Lawson's voice may sound a little bit peculiar but this is not the love-or-hate type of voice. I Personally love it! Another thing that i find incredible is the sounds of the keyboards Lawson chose. In ''Saving it Up For So Long'' he sounds like playing a vibraphone.The song is riffy with the guitar playing the main riff and the wind instruments adding the melodies. ''More Rain is somewhat different, layed back with percussion and the use of flute. I just love the ending with the mellotron.''Maudie James'' is more jazzier with the saxes overwhelming though the hole time and having two AMAZING solos.Again the percussion add a great deal to the groove.''Holy Padlock'' beggins with a jazz intro and Lawson from then on Lawson takes on with some great chords and the walking bass-like bassline with the sax is perfect! ''Give A Little Love'' more rock oriented than any other track on the album. Really heavy with the fuzzy guitar.After a while Lawson kicks in with a keyboard solo.The song reminds those early 70's organ trios.''Face in The Mirror'' has some very funny high vocals and is more jazz-rock.''As i Dried The Tears Away'' is the album's ''big one'' full of rhythmic changes keyboard solos and a very interesting part somewhere on 3:45, with the constant rhythm changes and the two solos like two keyboard players answering to one another.

Overall this album is simply AMAZING! Every sound song unique in it's own way but having an overall feeling of coherence of the same band. I would put it 5 stars but i went with 4 instead (5 being the very top of my list) although i have to say i just LOVE this album.Definitely go for it.