THE DREAM HARBOUR

The wonderful world of Willowglass just keeps on sparkling along, Andrew Marshall's third installment of delectable instrumental symphonic-prog continues to progress beyond the mellotron-infested previous albums, so as to now include liberal amounts of violin and flute provided by the wicked Steve Unruh as well as the percussive talents of German drummer Hans-Jorg Schmitz. The man is definitely progressing on a path of bewildering achievement, the artwork is again first rate, though the preceding 'Book of Hours' remains one of the finest covers in recent years. Marshall's multi-instrumentalist style certainly owes a lot to a certain Anthony Phillips, in which he handles both 6 and 12 string acoustic and electric guitars with utter ease, as well as supplying some lush keyboard work that goes beyond the norm. The main difference is in the structural arrangements, with an acute concentration on way more symphonics and orchestrations that Phillips really only achieved with his album 'Slowdance', a progressive masterpiece.

'The Dream Harbour' is a shimmering and glimmering musical cove, a recording that exudes a strong sense of pastoral beauty, a sonic reverie for the dreamer who aspires to transcend the boring routine of life in the technological age. I like to call this 'Sunday morning prog' (a new category, chaps?), a restful respite from the vagaries of stressed-out existences, nothing too jarring and certainly never boring. The album has some epic pieces (such as the massive opener , the 20 minute + 'A House of Cards Pt1' and its subsequent 9 minute companion, 'Part2 ' , interspaced with 3 short interludes, as well as two tracks that fit into the 7-8 minute frame. All are sheer aural delights of the highest order and again, mellotron fans will have to purchase 'wetnaps' to soothe their exhilaration.

The first dramatic impression is one of subtlety, Marshall having now personalized his style, moving away from direct Genesisian influences into a more keyboard-oriented package that simply elevates the classical/orchestral feel of his music. In fact, I pleasantly detected some Gryphon-like influences, a strong sense of playfulness and textural contrasts, mostly due to the violin mentioned earlier. Highlights include of course the previously mentioned 'House of Cards' suite, a constantly evolving blossom of sound, sprinkled by a multitude of variance moods and detail touches (flute is another welcome addition), deft soloing and a sense of journey and escape.

The title track is also a worthy competitor, a glittering musical prize very much in the hallowed tradition of classic Genesis (the only return to the past here) with intricate acoustic guitar phrasings, augmented with wispy string mellotron waves that induce storybook daydreaming. Playfully majestic, the symphonic mood revels in its pastoral beauty to the listener's pleasure. The second segment involves spirited synthesized flights, sizzling violin runs and intense contemplation.

'Helleborine' is the short medieval tinged intermezzo, with mellotron and flute conjuring images of grandiose splendor, as perfect prologue for the lush finale. 'The Fall of Eurydice' invokes the majestic Steve Hackett but with enormous doses of quirky rhythms, whopping cascades of mellotron, terrific drumming amid a massive symphonic swirl. There is a slight sense of more complexity and playfulness which was not always apparent previously, showing the attention to detail within the tight symphonic parameters Andrew chooses to follow. Cool organ phrasings, military march drumming and extensive soloing rule the arrangement, creating an entertaining finale.

Willowglass has progressed to another level, perhaps less saccharine and more experimental and orchestral, with noticeably less lead guitar soloing, nothing wrong with all those mellotrons blazing the road ahead. Unruh and Schmitz have given Marshall a new direction which this writer feels more than exalted with. Lovely stuff indeed. 4.5 Fantasy wharfs