THE ROTTERS' CLUB

A very adequate title of this album's review could be: Challenging Canterbury or anything like that. At least that's what comes to mind every time I listen to this album. And another interesting thing is it has things in common with my previous reviewed Suffocating the Bloom by Echolyn. Of course the two styles are totally different but still the build up comparison is striking. Both have a great mix of complexity and beauty and funny enough the beauty moments are roundabout the same spot of the arrangement. Also here it's just about before halfway the album (Didn't matter anyway) we're treated with soothing flute (yes, even the instrument is the same as on Echolyn's album) of incredible beauty whilst the rest of the album is really difficult to get into.

Fifth track The Yes No Interlude even contains a bit of 100% VDGG style, something I never expected on here. Same goes for bonus track Oh, Len's Nature suddenly treating us with fierce hard rock (would you believe it !). It goes a bit too far to state that The Rotter's Club has something for everyone, that remains to be seen but the last thing it can be accused of is that this is a boring, one dimensional album. The often praised Mumps finally won me over for a high rating because it's simply (one of) the best Canterbury song ever. It's even far better than the other contender Nine Feet Underground because of the versatilty and brilliant composition. The lesser moments of the album made me hesitate and contemplate the three stars possibillity but Mumps and the other great tracks as well as the great performance overall made me force myself to grant them the full four. Highly recommended unless you hate Canterbury.