BOOK OF HOURS

WILLOWGLASS's second album (actually ANDREW MARSHALL, a talented multi-instrumentalist) is a sharp and tangy adventure into retro-prog. His swirling mellotron and crisp guitar takes you back to the 1970s, whether you want to go there or not. The sounds are pastoral and very pleasant, reminiscent of CAMEL.

Trouble is, after a while you begin to lament the absence of vocals. Without a voice the music must have very strong motifs (ANGLAGARD is an example of a band who does this well, as does MIKE OLDFIELD), and while this album does better than (say) WOBBLER, the compositions do sag somewhat. I can imagine scoring this a star higher for good vocals and lyrics: at best this album becomes wallpaper without them.

To my mind this artist really ought to be a member of a band. What a fabulous contribution to the world of prog he could make surrounded by a few talented bandmates! Nevertheless, this is a worthwhile if unadventurous album, especially impressive coming from an independent.