THE OPTIMIST

I'm not a fan of Anathema, so I really don't know anything about the past works of the band and for the life of me I can't remember how this CD came to my possession. Surely, it doesn't make the cut to the best of them, but I do spin it occasionally. In general, I would say that the songs are either more upbeat and in the vein of alternative rock (Leaving it Behind, Can't Let Go) which is not my cup of tea or darker ones (Close Your Eyes, Ghosts) but at all times the songs are quite straightforward and simple in structure, in other words a couple of themes and that was it (most notably on San Francisco where the main theme on the piano is repeated for the entire five minutes of the song). Therefore, fans of prog rock who take a liking to surprises and twists and turns surely should stay away from this one. Still, the title-track (which, by the way, was the first one that came together and the whole story of the album went along with it) features one simple riff that I could listen to it for minutes on end, in other words it all comes down to our personal taste (as always, that is) as to what works and what doesn't, what is boring and what is not. Give it a try when you are in the mood for something more accessible and less proggy and hear for yourselves.

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