NORTHERN FANTASIES

Following 23 years after their previous effort, Busker returns as recording artists in a nice manner with this production.

The album, containing one long epic divided into 20 parts, is a rather mixed affair; where the opening and ending sequences for me at least came across as the weakest - partially due to a somewhat synthetic sounding atmosphere to many segments in the sequences making up these parts of the production.

The middle part of the composition is a quite enjoyable affair though, with visitations to folk, jazz and classical inspired tidbits more or less heavily spiced with vintage symphonic rock - and as I hear it quite a few humorous escapades too.

But although light of heart and spirit at times; this album as a whole seems to be a tribute to Canada in general and perhaps the Northern parts of it in particular; from the title of this creation, the choice of names for the individual parts and the big red maple leaf on white printed on the CD - this appears to be a musical celebration of all the good the country of the maple leaf has to offer.

And should be sought out by proud Canadians into symphonic rock in particular; and should be of interest to non-Canadians into the same music too.