WAR AND PEACE & OTHER SHORT STORIES

I don't post a lot of reviews but I am going to do so for the new album from Sean Filkins, to me this is certainly one of the best things I have heard in 2011. This album has six tracks on it, the first track is really not a song it is somebody (Sean I assume) preparing what must be tea, , and getting ready to sit down and relax, hence the name Are You Sitting Comfortably. Now we get going , the first song is called The English Eccentric , which by the way you can hear a free stream of at his website, this song clocks in at approx. 8 1/2 minutes and it a great opener and a sign of big things to come. Next up is the first of the long, epic type tracks Prisoner Of Conscience Pt 1 The Soldier, it clocks in at almost 20 minutes and is brilliant, Sean has a veritable cast of thousands helping out here I lost count at about 14 people. This is a great tune, filled with many highs on it , great guitar playing, keyboards and the rhythm section shines . It was during this tune that I began to notice the wonderful lyrics written by Sean , this guy is a poet. Next up is Prisoner Of Conscience Pt 2 The Ordinary Man, this one clocks in at over 11 minutes and is another great song, the words and music go together so well, it is magical. Next up is to me the highlight of this great album and there are so many but this song which breaks down into 5 sections Epitaph For A Mariner is tremendous, this one clocks in at over 20 minutes, another epic track , very progressive, and some fantastic guitar playing from John Mitchell as well as soaring vocals from Sean, just wonderful. The album closes with Learn how to Learn, more magic here both musically and lyrically , this song is the perfect ending to this album, fades away with very eastern sounds, drums and sitar. Many notables on this album, Gary Chandler, John Mitchell, Dave Meros,& Lee Abraham among them and the drummer who I am not familiar with Gerald Mulligan in a monster. I have to say that this is a serious contender for album of the year, this is one of the best albums I have heard in quite a while, so many different styles packed into almost 68 minutes of music, there is so much going on that a review could not possibly do it justice, this has to be heard from start to finish, a masterpiece.