THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS

Why am I actually writing this review? The album discussed here from 1994 is hardly available anymore, only as part of the box set "Cautionary Tales" (2009). I decided to write this review anyway because "Through The Looking Glass" holds a prominent place within the genre of neo-prog in the 90s. There is also a thick layer of pop prog from the eighties interwoven in the music and that is something you can trust Nolan and his men with. The overall atmosphere of the album has a dark and intense feel, even more so than on the predecessor "Ring Of Roses" (1992), a path that can be found a year later with Arena. Nolan handles the vocals himself in Shadowland and he does it well. While his range is not too extensive, his commitment and passion make up for it and his passionate way of singing adds a personal touch to the music. In my opinion, "Through The Looking Glass" is the best that Shadowland had to offer at that time.

The album opens with A Matter Of Perspective, driven by acoustic guitar and it closes with the bombastic Mindgames, two songs with a strong connection as they are both based on the same melody and share the same lyrics in the choruses. I appreciate such a structure where the intermediate six songs are held together as a cohesive unit. This arrangement raises the question of how conceptually oriented this album is. The songs deal with fantasies, dreams and fears, all of which converge in the rabbit hole of the title track, which, in turn, is based on C.S. Lewis' book Alice in Wonderland. So, I say: yes, "Through The Looking Glass" is conceptually oriented.

The songs are something to be enthusiastic about. Nolan has written all the compositions on the album and of course, they are all excellent in terms of structure and variation. Nolan never takes shortcuts and on "Through The Looking Glass", he once again showcases his songwriting skills. You can also hear that all band members enjoy bringing these compositions to life. Karl Groom's guitar is masterful. He glides through the music delightfully, providing power and melody. In The Hunger, he presents a piece of polyphonic guitar work, always seeking surprises and excelling in combinations with the creative Nolan. The two are supported by the beautiful, sometimes fretless bass playing of Ian Salmon and the deep drums of Nick Harradence, both perfectly mixed. Listen to how Harradence makes a song like Half Moon Street explode with his dynamic beats.

A standout track for me is Dreams Of The Ferryman. It portrays a dream of Nolan's about a serial killer and features brilliant interplay between guitar and keyboards. Another song that consistently catches my attention is When The World Turns To White. Two things are responsible for this. Firstly, there's the intro where Nolan shows off his violin- playing skills. He accompanies himself with those stately harpsichord sounds. Another remarkable aspect is the 6/8 sway of the song, my favorite time signature. The highlight of the album is undoubtedly the epic title track, where a plethora of tempo and mood changes color the landscape for over eleven minutes. The passage with the acoustic guitar is very beautiful and the thunderous ending, bordering on prog metal, is also impressive.

"Through The Looking Glass" and I have been good buddies for years and I wish the same for you. The name Clive Nolan has become synonymous with neo-prog. Do yourself a favor and go on a treasure hunt. You shall be rewarded.

Orginally posted on www.progenrock.com