FAR SKIES DEEP TIME

Greg Spawton and his fellows offer entertaining songs here and now ... once again provided with a recognition value, when it comes to those prog dinosaurs like Genesis and Yes. Officially released as an EP the complete length even corresponds to a vinyl album. 'Far Skies Deep Time' is still only available if you join the band's mailing list, what I know. While perfectly linking to their predecessor masterpiece 'The Underfall Yard' it's worth it in any case. Well, spend comparatively few money and reach for high quality music ... it's just that simple. In order to point out a remarkable change - although they have invited some additional musicians (f.e. Martin Orford) for the recordings - wind instruments are reduced on David Longdon's flute this time.

The Master Of Stones, James of St. George by name, is replaced by the Master Of Time here, required to take them back through the years. A cover version, that's right. They offer a folksy intro with acoustic guitar which will probably let you reckon that this may go into a completely new direction - only for a short time though. Welcome to the known BBT realm now ... just imagine that Genesis never would have left their prog traces! You will find rather complex compositions with changing time signatures, twists and turns, lush instrumentation, wonderful melodies.

'She looks at me, we tore each other's hearts out' - nearly missing a prog substance as such British Racing Green is an ambivalent soundtrack for lovers, a charming ballad, melancholy pure. This is able to bring tears to my eyes, nice piano and flute interaction - but surely off the common BBT track, with other words - a new facet. The following Brambling holds a haunting jazzy interlude supported by some Mellotron impressions.

'The Sea Is My Blood' ... finally they enter The Wide Open Sea with much pathos ... and the legend begins ... an epic divided in eight sections. David Longdon picks up the accordion in between when it comes to Paris. Towards the end a Steve Howe reminiscent guitar solo is coming up. Again this is proving the BBT typical approach to offer an intricate song structure.

A new sign of life from this band which should not be ignored. David Longdon is fully integrated into the songwriting process here for the first time. It works - as you can expect from this band - in the aftermath of 'The Underfall Yard' at the latest. High quality stuff comprising short songs as well as epics. Well, if you only concentrate on Nick D'Virgilio's drum playing for example ... then at the latest you know that this is of value what you hear - 4.5 stars really.