SPLIT SECONDS

In this album, his Solo Album is a work of the second work following "Cutting Both Ways". First Solo Album developed the creation of his music till then further and worked. It was a work that showed the directionality of "In Cahoots" that was one of the lifeworks of him enough. He will be sure to be a measurable figure for Canterbury Scene. And, a necessary person for Canterbury gathers and develops into "In Cahoots". The musician who is performing by the tune is different in this album. It distributes the musician by the tune to make the music that Phil Miller exactly created an embodiment and the tune has succeeded splendidly. In this album, the performance where the tension by In Cahoots overflows splendidly creates current their element and idea. The knowledge of men who cultivated it with Hatfields and Softs keeps good feelings and develops high-quality Jazz Rock consistently. The sense of Canterbury splendidly appears really to the third "Dada Soul". The song of Richard Sinclair is one treasure for Canterbury. The age is caught and Miller has introduced the guitar synthesizer in this album. Miller loves item of Jazz and is said that it copied Larry Coryell and John MacLaughlin well. And, he was felt that he had to take an original element to music strongly. It appeals to people as a sound of Miller surely now ..it.. his style. "Double Talk" and "I Remain", etc. to participate also have ..Pop.. element, and other Dave Stewart And Barbara Gaskin takes the element of a sweet melody and offers us the depth of Canterbury. Overall impression..Canterbury..element..constant..keep..original..sensibility..add..very..variety..overflow..work..finish.

Split Seconds is Phil Miller's followup to Cutting Both Ways, and just like that release it's split between band tracks performed with In Cahoots and more intimate pieces recorded with the help of Dave Stewart and Barbara Gaskin, who'd been forging their own skewed pop sound since the disintegration of National Health.

At its best, it's more of the same; however, there are a few too many moments where the songwriting is thin enough that the thin 1980s production standards really show, and they have dated quite poorly. (I'd be interested if anyone knows just why so many Canterbury artists in particular seemed to come unstuck in the production department in the 1980s.) This feels, in fact, like an album consisting of off-cuts from Cutting Both Ways, and whilst that one manages to overcome the difficulties of the era, this one can't quite escape their gravity well. As it turns out, one course of 1980s In Cahoots is enough for me - I can't manage seconds, even if I split 'em.

Phil Miller needs no introduction to those of us who are into Canterbury styled music. He's played guitar with DELIVERY, MATCHING MOLE, HATFIELD & THE NORTH, NATIONAL HEALTH and more. "Split Seconds" would be Phil's second solo album after the excellent "Cutting Both Ways" from the year before. He again decided to have his IN CAHOOTS band play on one part of the album as we get Pip Pyle, Fred Baker and Steve Franklin while Phil along with Elton Dean are the constants. The other part of the album features Dave Stewart and Barbara Gaskins with John Mitchell helping out on one of those tracks and Richard Sinclair on another. It just seems to me that this is a pale version of his debut, you know like KING CRIMSON's fist two albums. The same style just not as good in my opinion. I miss Hugh Hopper too.

"And Thus Far" opens with guitar and synths as the drums and bass join in. A pleasant sound. Sax comes into the spotlight before 3 minutes. A calm around 4 1/2 minutes with the bass and a beat leading the way as synths and more come and go. Smooth sax after 8 minutes with bass and synths as it calms right down. The drums are back and soon it's a full uptempo sound before 11 minutes. A good start.

"Final Call" has a nice bass solo to start as the guitar and band all join in. I like the guitar after 3 minutes. "Dada Soul" is my favourite with Richard Sinclair singing and playing bass. It opens with percussion, atmosphere, guitar and beautiful female vocal melodies from Barbara. After that gorgeous intro Richard comes in with vocals. That intro will return and they will combine forces too. A really enjoyable track thanks to Gaskins and Sinclair.

"Truly Yours" is mellow as the sax joins in and it will be the dominant sound until the synths take over after 3 1/2 minutes. "Double Talk" is a uptempo track with a lot going on with the percussion, bass, synths and more. Soon the guitar is playing over top. It lightens before 3 1/2 minutes with picked guitar and percussion before kicking back in. "I Remain" is a smooth and relaxed tune.

"Your Root 2" sounds good to start as we get some depth to the sound here with the bass and drums. The sax comes in over top around a minute. A calm with bass before 4 minutes. Nice. This continues as drums help out then other sounds start to come and go until the synths start to make some noise before 6 minutes. Sounds like vibes and also sax kicking in before 7 minutes after some nice drum work from Pip.

I do like some of those IN CAHOOTS albums that would follow better than this one but "Split Seconds" certainly has it's highlights.

Phil Miller's contributions to their prior bands pretty much continues their very Jazz style. I find overall the compositions to be somewhat forgettable, it's all something you've heard done before better, by lead man himself even. In addition to the quality not being what one would expect from H&N, it has a definite 80s feel. From the synth marimbas to the percussion to the shallow world beats this isn't just a rehash of the 70s. Mostly instrumental, a few of the tracks have some Northettes supplying their airy vocals to the background and on Dada soul Richard Sinclair sings. The female bits are done well but I find Dada Soul to be one of the worst usages of Richard Sinclair's voice. The song is like his trademark style corrupted by to become meh compared to songs like Books (Theo Travis Earth To Ether or Fitter Stoke). I think that song alongside the opener, Cutting Both Ways sum up the album for me. On one hand you have a track where I think fads of the day where used poorly to make a poor song (Dada Soul while on the other hand you have an uninhibited song that to me comes off as by the numbers (Cutting Both Ways).

Overall this is a fine album that is summed up well by good but not essential and I think folks who enjoy Jazz will have more to appreciate them myself in regards to Phil Miller's work.