SIGHT OF DAY

Mostly Autumn started around 1996 in England. The founder of the band was guitarist and singer Bryan Josh, who had been working on song material for several years. Other important founding members were singer Heather Findley and keyboardist Iain Jennings, who also played a major role in the compositions. Mostly Autumn have shaped their own kind of Prog Folk, whose style elements are composed of motifs of the Celtic music paired with a strong Pink Floyd's influence. In addition to the guitar and keyboards, flutes, pipes, bagpipes and violins, always complemented the sound.

'Sight Of Day' is the twelfth studio album of Mostly Autumn and that was released in 2017. The line up on the album is Bryan Josh (vocals, guitar and keyboards), Olivia Sparnenn (vocals, keyboards and tambourine), Iain Jennings (keyboards and organ), Chris Johnson (vocals, guitar, keyboards and tambourine), Angela Gordon (backing vocals, flute, whistle and recorder), Andy Smith (bass) and Alex Cromarty (drums and percussion). The album had also the participation of Troy Donockley (Uilleann pipes and whistle) and Anna Phoebe (violins), both as guest musicians.

'Sight Of Day' has ten tracks. It's a lengthy piece of music with more than seventy minutes long. The first track is the title track 'Sight Of Day' and was written by Josh. This track represents mainly what Mostly Autumn is all about. It's full of subtlety, power and emotion. The performances are fantastic and Sparnenn's vocals sit well next to Josh's singing and the down to earth lyrics are a refreshing change from those adopted by most song writers. The second track 'Once Around The Sun' written by Josh with its more basic laid back hard rock approach is almost the antithesis of the epic title track. Josh takes on the lead vocals and there's a strong guitar riff that goes on and on. Josh shines on his electric guitar and his lead vocals. The third track 'The Man Without A Name' written by Sparnenn has another different vibe altogether. The song is a piano ballad that makes the use of the delicate side of Sparnenn's voice. This is a very simple song, with the piano being the dominant instrument throughout and her very beautiful vocal display. The fourth track 'Hammerdown' written by Josh has some of the band's classic murky and emotional tug. The melody is attractive and the singing by Josh and Sparnenn is again very good and smooth, as usual, and the instrumentation is well chosen. To spice up the song another great guitar solo is added. The fifth track 'Changing Lives' written by Johnson, changes completely the mood of the album. It's nice to hear Johnson showcase his writing and singing talents during this track and the addition of another voice not only acts as a contrast, but also enhances the harmonies during the other songs. The sixth track 'Only The Brave' written by Josh and Sparnenn has a more hard rock approach. It starts with some choir like singing and after it became a very energetic song, driven by Smith and Cromarty, back the main guitar riff and Josh's vocals. The keys and Hammond arrangements are great too. The song also has fine parts from guests Anna and Donockley. The seventh track 'Native Spirit' written by Josh is a track in which a quiet acoustic guitar and a haunting keyboard arrangement form a huge contrast. This is Josh's song in the main and he tops it off with some great guitar work. The song comes to a beautiful climax with great orchestral parts from the keyboards. The eighth track 'Tomorrow Dies' written by Josh and Jennings contains one of Sparnenn's best ever vocal displays. She has an enormous range, combined with great strength in her voice. The keyboards dictate the song most of the time and combined with a good guitar work make of this another stand out track. The ninth track 'Raindown' written by Josh is another murky and emotional piece. Sparnenn again shines on this ballad. While the song is quite long, it never feels, since the emotion and the fantastic playing are present. Again the duo Anna and Donockley have been given beautiful musical parts to shine on. The tenth and last track 'Forever And Beyond' written by Josh is atypical. It's a surprisingly low key song that really harks back to band's early days. It's quite cheerful, with some folksy flutes and an uplifting keyboard work. The song once again shows that the band can come up with excellent compositions and ends the album in a nice style.

Conclusion: Overall, 'Sight Of Day' can only be described as a triumph. It represents a confident combination of the old and new. This is another great return to their roots, a modern day shanty and a fitting end to a gratifying collection of songs each packed with heart and hope. In some ways, Mostly Autumn has travelled adding new flavours along their way. The band has obviously won a lot of new friends all over the years. This album is a reminder that Mostly Autumn remains as one of the most consistent and passionate British progressive rock bands. They have a genius for alchemy, such as, taking many of the familiar elements of the classic prog mainly Floydian and Tullish influences, the traditional Celtic music and mythic themes, and transmuting them into something fit for our uncertain 21st century. So, 'Sight Of Day' is an album highly recommended to all Mostly Autumn's fans and to all progressive rock lovers in general, indeed.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

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