FOR ALL WE SHARED

Mostly Autumn came onto the scene combining an outward folk aesthetic and some folk trappings (acoustic guitar, whistles, tambourine) with a musical sound rooted in Pink Floyd-influenced neo-prog. (There are moments when the folk side of things comes more to the fore - the track Folklore is a prime example - but these are comparatively rare, and even Folklore as a prog-ish breakdown partway through its runtime.) Call it neo-prog folk if you will - either way, on this debut album it's a sound that's rather fresh, since the Steeleye Span-play-Pink Floyd approach allows them to sound distinctly different.

Most modern prog groups with unabashed 1970s influences and a desire to inject folk into the mix would be expected to rather follow the lead of Jethro Tull and Renaissance, and whilst you can discern traces of those flavours here, the harmonies and the keyboards really suggest Floyd more than anything else - but Pink Floyd themselves never quite leaned into a folk aesthetic to this extent. In this way, they square the circle of wanting to pay homage to their major inspirations whilst also having their own voice, because whilst their music will remind you of a great many bands from the past, only Mostly Autumn quite bring these ingredients together in this way (though I would say that Solstice often came close).

Ultimately, this is solid work, but it's very much laying the foundations for the further development of the band's sound. Call it three stars for a general audience, three and a half stars for listeners especially keen on Floydian prog and who don't mind that the band might not be 100% ready for prime time here.