HINDSIGHT

1. "Fragile Dreams" (5:30) originally from 1998's Alternative 4. Okay. Nothing to write home about. (8.75/10)

2. "Leave No Trace" (4:52) originally from 2001's A Fine Day to Exit. A powerful version of an-already great song. (9.125/10)

3. "Inner Silence" (3:40) originally from 1998's Alternative 4. Just okay. (8.75/10)

4. "One Last Goodbye" (6:03) originally from 1999's Judgment. Nice version of a good song. (8.875/10)

5. "Are You There?" (5:18) originally from 2003's A Natural Disaster, woven threads of picked stringed instruments (guitars, mandolin, harpsichord?) with pleasant folk-like vocals over the top (including choir-like b vox). (9/10)

6. "Angelica" (5:00) originally from 1996's Eternity thus making it the oldest song to be reworked for Hindsight. Electric guitars and full drums and electric bass are used here as well as strummed acoustic guitars and open snare, making it the one song on the album that sounds most like a proggy Anathema. The vocal and melody sound a lot like The Church or The Cure. (8.875/10)

7. "A Natural Disaster" (6:20) originally from 2003's A Natural Disaster, here given the lead vocal to Lee Douglas, who sings it like a Country singer (think Mary Chapin Carpenter or even Emmylou Harris). Even the electric guitar and cello add to the country feel and sound. But it's a grower: it keeps feeling better, Lee's sincere vocal performance getting under your skin. Vince's background performance on vocoder adds a lot, as well. Lee is just such a powerful, naturally moving singer! Matter of fact, this might be the most memorable and haunting song on the album. (9.25/10)

8. "Temporary Peace" (5:10) originally from 2001's A Fine Day to Exit. Rich Kid A-like electric piano with strummed acoustic guitar, muted vocals from Vince supported by Lee's b vox and some nice cello and Irish mandolin as the song progresses. Very nice. (9/10)

9. "Flying" (6:27) originally from 2003's A Natural Disaster, this version was the flip side to the "Unchained (Tales of the Unexpected)" single I picked up back in 2008 and was thus not only an introduction to the band and its music but became and remains a band favorite to this day. Drums and bass with strumming guitars, Irish mandolin, and cello also on board. (9/10)

10. "Unchained (Tales Of The Unexpected)" (4:18) the album's only previously-unreleased song, it was one of the first songs I'd ever heard by the band and has always been (and remains) a favorite. a weave of gently picked acoustic guitars and with mystery-deepening cello backs Vince vocal (with Danny's occasional background harmony support). I love the two main chords chosen: each presenting totally different moods (but not quite major and minor). (9/10)

Total Time 52:44

It's never easy how and where to place/categorize albums of remakes: they're not a greatest hits or compilation, just different studio versions (here, acoustic) of (mostly) songs that appeared on previous studio albums. The band did it again in 2011 with the eminently beautiful Falling Deeper. I guess it works for me cuz I like these versions of the songs well enough: some of them perhaps better than their original versions.

B+/4.5 stars; another near-masterpiece of stripped down, more-acoustic prog rock from these masters of delicacy and atmospherics. More Lee Douglas, please!

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