PATCHWORK CACOPHONY

I've always said i'm a music fan not a music critic, but whenever I give 3 or less stars I feel like a critic because I have to explain why I didn't give a higher rating and that becomes the focus. So it's times like this that I dislike reviewing because Ben Bell the man behind this one-man project is very talented and ambitious and has put so much time and energy into the music he loves. It just so happens my tastes don't align with the music here for the most part.

Having said all of that if your a fan of keyboard driven music then look no further than PATCHWORK CACOPHONY. Ben plays everything on here but his speciality appears to be the various keyboards he plays like the piano, Hammond organ, Prophet '08 synthesizer, Clava Nord Stage, Yamaha TG55, and Taijiguy and Emu Classic keys mellotron samples. We're only a quarter of a way through the list of instruments he plays at this point. Wow! He composed all the music and wrote the lyrics, as well as producing and engineering this album.

"Sketch Of A Day" is the 16 minute opener and it's all instrumental with piano only to start as we get some mellotron sounds and more joining in before it kicks into full sound around 2 1/2 minutes in. Lots of keyboards and a beat standing out here. A calm with piano 5 1/2 minutes in before it turns full again before 7 minutes as themes continue to be repeated. A pretty good instrumental that gets fairly intense later on before it ends like it began. "No U-Turn" is an uptempo keyboard-led instrumental. It's okay. "Dance Of The Fleet-Footed Heffalumps" is mainly keys and picked guitar I believe. Some sampled mellotron just before a minute that is like sunshine peering through the clouds. "Brinkmanship" reminds me of CAMEL at times, I think it's the organ. Piano to start then it kicks in before a minute. This is good with that organ leading the way. It picks up before 5 1/2 minutes with piano leading then the organ starts to lead the way once again. It settles before 8 minutes then rebuilds. I like the organ late. This is my favourite song of the first half. "Nylons For Parot" is a short tune with picked guitar and tapping throughout.

Next is the "Dawn Light" suite with around 30 minutes of music over nine tracks. "Prelude" features these spacey synths ala "Lost In Space" a TV show that only us old folks will remember i'm sure. Lots of atmosphere as well. "Changes In The Air" is the first song where we get vocals. Man this song reminds me so much of DISCIPLINE. Excellent track and my favourite overall. "No Time" on the other hand is my least favourite. It has vocals as well but it just doesn't do anything for me. "Reprise" is a short song with slowly played piano throughout. "We Can't Stay" has these high pitched vocals along with an instrumental back- drop that i'm not into. "Rest My Feet" has these sparse piano melodies as laid back vocals join in. It blends into "Scorched Earth" where it picks up quickly with a fuller sound. Some spoken words as well later on. It blends into "Final Sunset" where vocals arrive then we get a keyboard solo after 1 1/2 minutes before the vocals return a minute later as contrasts continue. "Twilight Procession" ends it as we get plenty of atmosphere.

A good album no doubt but one that just doesn't have enough positives for my particular tastes in music. Keyboard fans have to check this album out!