SHREDS OF EVIDENCE - OBSCURE LIVE TRACKS AND OTHER RARITIES

This week prime mover Edo Spanninga told me that Flamborough Head actually never stopped. Due to family priorities, side-projects (solo, Trion, Leap Day), personal changes and 'getting older' the activity was very low. But recent years Flamborugh Head played in Poland and England and now have decided to work on a new album, to be released next year. So this compilation album is a delicious break, for the many fans of Flamborough Head here on PA (just check the rating, most albums between 3,5 and 4,5 star), they love their music: very melodic and harmonic prog featuring female singer Margriet her beautiful voice, topped with a tasteful colouring of the music with guitars, keyboards and flutes. These fans will be pleased with this interesting compilation CD featuring 11 tracks, recorded between 1998 and 2015 (live, radio and taken from progrock compilations).

The opener is from a Moody Blues tribute album (2005), the track is entitled Bless The Wings (Moody Blues, from 1991). Flamborough Head really has delivered a wonderful rendition, in my opinion even superior to the original with beautiful female singing, pleasant layers of Mellotron violins and a moving electric guitar solo. Of course this CD contains Progfarm tracks (the band hosted many years that legendary Dutch progrock festival): the alternating Year After Year (Progfarm 1997-2006 anniversary from Cyclops) and the oldie Corrugated Road (from 1998), both feature the special and very inspiring atmosphere. In the song Rixt Fan't Oerd (Progwereld 2011) female singer Margriet sings with an accent, it's the story about a woman from the Dutch island Ameland, a very warm folky climate. In Daughters Of Night Flamborough Head deliver their trademark sound, from mellow to bombastic and from soaring flute to a dazzling synthesizer solo, simply wonderful! Limestone Rock (from a Cyclops sampler in 2005) is another Flamborough Head trademark track: first Mellotron violins and moving guitar, then a wonderfully coloured part with soaring strings, tin whistle and sensitive electric guitar and finally compelling work on guitar and keyboards. The final composition is the magnum opus (around 11 minutes) on this compilation, entitled Trapper: lots of changing climates and tasteful play on electric guitar, keyboards and flute, yes, indeed, that's Flamborough Head in its full splendor!

I am sure this compilation will be a treat for the many fans of this worldwide appreciated Dutch band (I even notice Flamborough Head in avatars!).