SONGS FROM THE HARD SHOULDER

I am really starting to think that I just can't go wrong with The Tangent. Each and every album has something memorable to keep. This time, three mostly instrumental long suites that showcase how easy is for these guys to fuse Canterbury, rock (even metal), latin, oriental and electronic elements and yet sound coherent, interesting and catchy. I am so happy of having discovered them years ago.

1. The changes - Groovy, jazzy, soft yet powerful. Love the guitar work throughout. a great way of starting the album - 8.75/10.

2. The GPS vultures - Reminds me of Soft Machine with latin rythms and a bit of Oldfield's Incantations. The bass lines are amazing. Some free jazz in the middle kind of drives me out of the song, but soon this latin canterburian groove returns mixed with oriental tunes and even a flamenco interlude. Very good - 9/10.

3. The lady tied to the lamp post - The whole song is a crecendo, starting very subtle and gaining energy, emotion and variation until reaching an impressive peak of creativity at 10.01, my favourite moment on the album. The ending is pure bliss too!. My favourite song here - 9.5/10.

4. Wasted soul - Sadly, this track does not do it for me. Sounds too much like a broadway musical extract - 4.75

5. In the Dead of Night / Tangential Aura / Reprise - A great version of the UK song with some extra experimentation, A bit overlong in some parts though - 6.5/10

Four stars. Highly recommended.