FOCAL POINT

Paul Cusick is a multi-instrumentalist with a very British sound to his progressive music. While he's been an active member of the scene for quite a while - doing session work for bands and playing guitar - 'Focal Point' is his first foray into a project driven primarily by his creative spirit.

It is clear that Paul Cusick is a very talented musician. His voice and guitar style are very easily likened to that of David Gilmour, but his compositional style and production method is much alike that of Porcupine Tree's.

As I've already mentioned, this album has a very British feel to it. Being a fine example of crossover prog, alot of these songs could pass as being pop music. There's nothing on the album that really demands a major attention of the listener. Unlike alot of progressive bands of the day, Paul Cusick manages to keep his musical talents within boundaries. While he's not the most technically accomplished vocalist (not to say he isn't good) Cusick truly shines on his guitar work. His soloing conjures comparisons to that of Gilmour's.

While Cusick's forte obviously focuses around the guitar, he is also a very soulful pianist, as is illustrated in the simple, yet beautifully played passages of the atmospheric number 'Touch.'

The song that stood out the most to me was the beautiful 'Fade Away' which bears a resemblence to Pink Floyd's 'Nobody Home' without sounding like a rip off of it. It's a song that really evokes emotion.

There's alot of effort and inspiration put into this album. Orchestration, thoughtful guitar licks and powerful songwriting comes together to form a formidable first foray into the solo career of Paul Cusick.

Recommended for fans of Porcupine Tree and Pink Floyd's album 'The Wall.'

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