SECRETS

Among Allan's solo discs, this one tends to be a favorite, owing to the fact that compositionally it was one of his strongest, plus the fact it marked the return of Allan's real guitar to the sonic palette (his tone here is magnificently thick!). The Synth-Axe is still employed here but far more sparingly and only when it's really necessary.

There's a good amount of variety on here, as Allan and Co. open up with the barn-burner "City Nights", haunt you with "Secrets" (with Rowanne Mark doing the haunting with her gorgeous soprano voice), rattle your cage with "Peril Premonition", kick things along at a brisk clip with "Spokes" (one of my favorite tracks). Allan even musically mourns for the death of a dear pianist friend of his, Pat Smythe on "54 Duncan Terrace".

"Maid Marion" is the only track I have some difficulty with only because it moves along sooooooo slwly and doesn't seem to really develop. "Endomorph" is all synth with a haunted, plaintive vocal track by Craig Copeland, it kind of has that sitting on a beach late at night contemplating the meaning of one's existence sort of vibe to it.

All told, definitely a worthwhile release.