PATIENCE

Perhaps the last truly great album that Peter Hammill has released, Patience sees a consistently high quality of song writing and performance from Mr Hammill, at a time when he was dangerously close to becoming "hip and trendy" thanks to his being championed as part of the "Handsome Rock" movement being lauded by Dave McCullough who was writing for British music paper "Sounds" (now sadly defunct) at the time (a movement which included The Smiths, which is probably the only time he'll be compared to that group).

Starting off in subdued style with Labour of Love, Hammill sounds world weary on this track, but its not a bad thing its adds a certain something to the pacing of this song a true Labour of Love. The pace is picked up though by Film Noir the story of a struggling actress and her unrequited love for the leading man, which only leads to disaster (".the method actress and the hit.").

Just Good Friends follows and is a true Hammill style gorgeous "love" song, covered by Marc Almond of Soft Cell fame at one point also, then the pace hots up again with Jeuness D'Oree which if memory serves me right was released as a single which is a rarity for Hammill.

The final quartet of songs though really rounds off the album in fine style, Traintime and Now More Than Ever are classic Hammill, really drilling into your brain after a few listens, Traintime with the train style rhythm chugging down the tracks.

Comfortable tells the story of a socialite, who's main concern of church-going is to look good and be seen rather than the religious aspects. Patient rounds the set off in fine style a song about self healing and has some fine acoustic guitar work.

So as I say probably Hammill's last great album well worth seeking out if you are a fan of Hammill's early work and are looking to add to your collection