PASSENGERS

"Passengers" is the fifth studio album of Mostly Autumn and that was released in 2003. It was the last album to feature drummer Jonathan Blackmore, which was substituted by Andrew Jennings, on their next sixth studio album "Storms Over Still Water". So, the line up on the album is Bryan Josh (lead and backing vocals, lead, rhythm, acoustic and 12 string guitars), Heather Findlay (lead and backing vocals, tambourine and bodhran), Iain Jennings (backing vocals, piano, Hammond organ and synthesizers), Liam Davison (rhythm, acoustic guitars and slide guitars), Angela Goldthorpe (backing vocals, flute and recorders), Andy Smith (bass guitars) and Jonathan Blackmore (drums). The album had also the participation of Troy Donockley (low whistles, penny whistles, Uilleann pipes and Bouzouki), Chris Leslie (violin), Marissa Claughan (cello), Damion Wilson and Mark Atkinson (backing vocals), as guest musicians.

"Passengers" has thirteen tracks. My version is a SACD version with the same tracks but in a totally different order. So, this is the version that I'm going to review. The first track is "Caught In A Fold" written by Findlay. It's a rock oriented song with an excellent vocal skill by Findlay. The song has a superb choral work and Jennings plays Hammond organ beautifully. It has also great guitar performances by both guitarists Josh and Davison and the flute of Angela works beautifully well. The second track is "Something In Between" written by Josh. It has a short radio friendly tune that brings to my mind a non progressive band that I like very much, Fleetwood Mac. It also makes me think on some Renaissance's musical works. This is a fairly simplistic pop rock commercial track featuring the dual vocals of Josh and Findlay. The third track is "Another Life" written by Findlay and Jennings. It's the first song on the album that returns to their roots. It's a very strong and beautiful slow ballad, with another great vocal performance by Findlay and with a nice Floydian guitar solo during the instrumental break. The fourth track is "First Thought" written by Josh. It emerges as a very powerful ballad with another superb and inimitable vocal performance by Findlay. This track also features some beautiful guitar work by Josh, indeed. Curiously, this is the first album that Josh almost limits his vocal performance to duets with Findlay and explains why many think that she should sing on every track. The fifth track is "Pure White Light" written by Josh. It's a song with some dark and heavy verses punctuated by a strong melodic vocal work. David Gilmour's influence is very strong on this track, both as vocalist and guitarist. This isn't a bad track but it's, certainly, one of the weakest of all. The sixth track is "Simple Ways" written by Josh. It's an atmospheric track again making good use of dual male and female vocals. It's a nice song with a very solid musicianship and especially the keyboard work is particularly noticed. I think this is a song with some comparison with the band's earlier song "Winter Mountain". The seventh track is "Bitterness Burnt" written by Findlay. It represents the return of the band to their Celtic musical roots. This is a true folk song in the most Mostly Autumn's tradition, featuring Angela performing an excellent flute work and with also some excellent acoustic guitars playing, indeed. The eighth track is "Distant Train" written by Jennings. It's a fine song that gradually builds in power and tension, with Josh's guitar once again coming to the force. It's an excellent and pleasant song with a very strong folk accent due especially to the acoustic guitar work and the Findlay's voice. The ninth track is "Answer The Question" written by Josh and Jennings. It's the first epic song on the album with the same musical structure and in the same vein of many other epic songs of the past that reminds me "Mother Nature" and "The Spirit Of Autumn Past". This is a very powerful song with very powerful chorus helped by a very strong instrumental climax. The tenth is the piece "Pass The Clock" written by Josh, and that is divided into three distinctive tracks. It's the lengthiest piece on the album and is another epic song. This is by definition, the best and most progressive piece on the album and is really a superb song. All song is absolutely great and this is the reason why I love this band so much. The eleventh track is the title track "Passengers" written by Josh. It's a fine track where Findlay's vocals sound delicate and fragile. It's a dreamy track that represents a great closer for this magnificent album.

Conclusion: Apart three songs, "Caught In A Fold", "Something In Between" and "Pure White Light", which are, in my humble opinion, the weakest of all tracks, and where "Pass The Clock" is their highlight and most progressive track, we are in presence of an excellent album. "Passengers" represents a change in the musical direction of the group. It's a less folk and a more rock oriented album than their previous four studio albums are. However, and despite be a great album, isn't as good as "For All We Shared" and "The Spirit Of Autumn Past" are, and is also definitely worst than "The Last Bright Light" is. So, this is a sort of a transitional stage, but it's a very solid album, and at time, it's just as moving as anything they've ever done before. Still, I think my expectation have been a bit too high after "The Last Bright Light".

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

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