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░ ██ ██ Artist: Mostly Autumn ██ ██
▓ █░░ ■█ Album: Sight of Day █■ ░░█
■ █▓▀ █ Year: 2017 █ ▀▓█ ░
█ ▓ Rel. Date: 2017-06-13 ▓ █
▒ ▒ Genre: Progressive Rock ▒ ▒
█▄ ░ Label: Mostly Autumn Records ░ ▄█
░ █▄ ░ Source: CD ░ ▄█
░ █▓ Type: Album ▓█ ░
▓ █ Quality: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo █ ░ ▓
▓ █ █ ░ ▓
▄ ■ ■ ▓ ■
░█ █░ ▀
█ Sight of Day is Mostly Autumn's twelfth studio █
█ album. There is a massive contrast between this █
█ and the superb predecessor album, Dressed in █
█ Voices. Bryan Josh himself describes this as an █
█ "album of light", whilst Dressed....was as dark as █
█ a black hole. When reviewing that album, I posited █
█ that it might act as a springboard to greater █
█ commercial success, because this is surely well █
█ deserved. I fear this might never come about, but, █
█ as a prog cottage industry, they seem to keep █
█ coming up with excellent product, adored by a █
█ loyal fan base, and there are worse positions to █
█ be in, I suppose. █
█ This album is more of a traditional Autumn work, █
█ blending effortlessly pomp prog, lilting guitar █
█ bursts, with that folk backdrop which led me to █
█ fall in love with their work way back when I first █
█ clapped ears on The Last Bright Light. It is far █
█ too simplistic to describe the band as a Floyd █
█ influenced vehicle. Of course, this is there, but █
█ there is so much more to them than that. For a █
█ start, the beautiful violin of Anne Phoebe, and █
█ deep flute of Angela Gordon, backing a sublime █
█ vocal on the exceptional ballad, Raindown, before █
█ giving way to a huge Josh guitar solo supported by █
█ sumptuous keyboard work, is simply Mostly Autumn █
█ at their unique best. There is no other band █
█ capable of this track, and the wonder of it all █
█ echoes in your mind long after the track finishes. █
█ The title track is the opener, a 14 minute plus █
█ epic which simply lifts the spirit. The sound is █
█ epic, and Josh produces a soaring mid section █
█ solo. This gives way to the type of thoughtful █
█ acoustic folk prog they have always excelled at, █
█ with a knowing nod to Autumns Past, before █
█ concluding with such a joyous and raucous █
█ celebration of life and sound. Bryan's wife, █
█ Olivia Sparnenn-Josh, is now such an integral part █
█ of the band that it is becoming difficult to █
█ remember when she wasn't there. Her voice on this, █
█ and everywhere else, delights at every turn, and █
█ my best wishes to the pair of them for the █
█ impending birth of the first Josh Junior. █
█ What Olivia demonstrates here is just what a █
█ marvellous range of vocal techniques she has. From █
█ the sheer front on pomp of the opener, with vocal █
█ and guitar jousting between the two, we are █
█ treated to a fragility on the thoughtful, and █
█ questioning, The Man Without A Name, a track which █
█ features a deceptively simple piano lead and █
█ background keys and rhythm guitar. A joy, and a █
█ highlight of the album. █
█ However, to treat this as merely the Josh family █
█ vehicle would be a mistake. There have been many █
█ lineup changes over the years, but Josh has always █
█ surrounded himself with quality contributors, and █
█ a very pleasant surprise on this album was to hear █
█ a written and performed track, Changing Lives, by █
█ the returning Chris Johnson. A damned fine track █
█ it is, too, with the male/female vocal interplay █
█ after "come together" being particularly pleasing. █
█ Johnson, by the way, also gets a production credit █
█ on this. █
█ I have always enjoyed Iain Jennings' keyboard █
█ work, and this is highlighted to great effect on █
█ the co-written, with Josh, and rather dark, █
█ Tomorrow Dies. The keyboards, together with some █
█ thumping drum work by Alex Cromarty, create a █
█ track which is about as futuristic as the band █
█ will ever come. Olivia belts out a massive vocal █
█ lead, and I can see this becoming a firm anthemic █
█ favourite in the live arena. █
█ It is fantastic to welcome back the hugely █
█ talented flautist and vocalist, Angela Gordon, █
█ Anne-Marie Helder having left to concentrate on █
█ Panic Room and linked projects. In addition to her █
█ contribution to Raindown, I love the recorder █
█ intro to the Norse mythology track, Only The █
█ Brave. It is a misleading intro, though, because █
█ the main body of the song rocks along at a █
█ rollicking pace, showcasing, in particular, a very █
█ strong rhythm section in Cromarty and Andy Smith. █
█ From Norse mythology imagined around a camp fire, █
█ we decamp to Native American spirituality and love █
█ of life in Native Spirit. The denouement, with █
█ guitar, dark, looming, keys, and pounding drums & █
█ bass creates a massive wall of sound, and is a █
█ particular delight. Josh produces a wonderfully █
█ sensitive vocal in the lead up to the end passage, █
█ which crackles with emotion. █
█ Talking of which, the album closer, Forever and █
█ Beyond, is a lovely paeon to lost youth, absent █
█ friends, and thoughts of eternity. It is a gentle █
█ love song which always stays on the right side of █
█ mawkish, and is Celtic to its very roots. █
█ There is not one bum note or track on this album, █
█ a fine addition to a library bursting with great █
█ work. It is quite excellent, and highly █
█ recommended, especially to those tempted to dip █
█ their toes in for a first ever listen to the band. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ 'Dressed in Voices' was the long awaited return to █
█ form for the British prog-folk band Mostly Autumn, █
█ a fact that was recognized be all critics and fans █
█ and in order to further consolidate their █
█ position, the follow up 'Sight of Day' keeps the █
█ eye on the progressive prize. Lead singer Olivia █
█ Sparnenn-Josh is once again given a strong melodic █
█ platform to show off her considerable range and █
█ powerhouse delivery. She just may be the current █
█ prima donna (in the positive sense) of prog, at █
█ least in my humble opinion. This solid crew has █
█ been together for quite a while now and they █
█ seemed to have found their calling once again, █
█ focusing on crushingly attractive melodies █
█ sprinkled by some spectacular instrumental soloing █
█ from the fabulous guitar of Bryan Josh and Iain █
█ Jennings' ornate keyboard wizardry. The tight █
█ rhythm section of Andy Smith and Alex Cromarty act █
█ as the perfect motor for the band to pull of some █
█ masterful arrangements and thus create vivid, █
█ entertaining music of the highest order. Chris █
█ Johnson is the perfect rhythmic guitarist for █
█ Josh, liberating his gun-slinging technique with █
█ soaring, gliding solos that pierce the clouds. █
█ The title track opens up the velvety curtains with █
█ a rather incredible 14 minute epic masterpiece █
█ that encapsulates the real essence of MA, a heady █
█ mixture of romantic and bombastic zeal that dives █
█ into exciting melodicism and bold instrumental █
█ play. Iain Jennings lovely piano introduces a █
█ dignified and confident vibe, setting the █
█ melancholic tone for a spiral of delicious sounds, █
█ seamless shifts and crazed soloing. Needless to █
█ say, Olivia sings like the wind, gently powerful █
█ when needed and utterly expressive. █
█ Maintaining a luminous disposition ,'Once Around █
█ the Sun' offers quite a shimmering bombastic █
█ touch, with a Bryan Josh that winks at classic █
█ Roger Daltry (Who?). The melody has a little █
█ native Indian beat to it, a trait that will █
█ surface later in the track list, the organ in █
█ particular shining bright. Powerfully simple, █
█ immediately catchy and cool. 'Take care of █
█ yourself', he said. █
█ The short but crushingly beautiful 'The Man █
█ without a Name' has Olivia showing her █
█ unbelievable voice, crystal clear and precise, █
█ vocal perfection in both delicacy and power. She █
█ has an almost Sarah Brightman tinge, a compliment █
█ of the highest order, I can assure you. Stripped █
█ down and pure, quite a gem to behold, with mostly █
█ piano as an escorting vessel. █
█ What I find particularly appealing is their █
█ treatment of conventional structured songs, which █
█ they mould into something very much in their █
█ image, like the bluesy rocker 'Hammerdown', a █
█ raucous and fervent cry in the dark, that has █
█ classic rock stamped all over it, loaded with █
█ perspiration and muscle. Bryan Josh's voice █
█ crackles with emotion and his soaring guitar █
█ follows suite, screeching high and mighty like █
█ only he can. █
█ Displaying incredible variety, the Chris █
█ Johnson-sung, produced and penned 'Changing Lives' █
█ surprises by fitting nicely within the overall █
█ framework , yet completely different from the █
█ other tracks here, a modern soft rocker that █
█ sizzles unashamedly, coming together as one, male █
█ and female voices in harmonious communion. █
█ Jennings' raging Hammond organ shudders violently █
█ as the overwrought guitars howl to the moon. █
█ Massive and feisty, 'Only the Brave' has wave upon █
█ wave of windswept bombast that incorporate some of █
█ Troy Donockley pipes and whistles. Early Mostly █
█ Autumn initially focused on strong folk roots, █
█ inserting a pastoral feel as well as eclectic █
█ instruments into their compositions and it's great █
█ to see that gift being added to a rather bruising █
█ and athletic rock track. 'Viking water, gods of █
█ thunder'. █
█ Contrast that with another epic highlight track, a █
█ brooding and extreme splurge of sound, reliving █
█ native Indian lore, both in the instrumental █
█ envelope as well as lyrically. Bryan's focus on █
█ Canada is quite a stirring revelation, as my █
█ country certainly has the vast lands, 'mountains, █
█ trees and bright moons'. 'Native Spirit' is a █
█ fascinating track, replete with sweeping and dark █
█ orchestrations that keep the rhythmic thunder in █
█ check, a brilliant performance from Cromarty, █
█ pummeling like a feathered warrior on the war █
█ path. Both Josh's guitar and voice go way beyond █
█ the horizon, deep and trembling into the moonlit █
█ night. █
█ Iain Jennings is quite the keyboardist, █
█ orchestrating modern swaths of sound in a most █
█ symphonic style as he did rather vividly once on █
█ 'Distant Train' off the Passengers album, so it █
█ comes as no surprise that 'Tomorrow Dies' is █
█ heavily clad in dense arrangements that highlight █
█ Olivia's authoritative vocal. Man, can this woman █
█ sing, or what? I still have goosebumps listening █
█ to this blurting yelp for salvation. Thrilling, █
█ expansive, shimmering and glittering. One of MA █
█ finest pieces ever. █
█ Josh is a bad man, as he follows up with two more █
█ absolute killer tracks to finish off slaying my █
█ pleasure. 'Rain Down' hushes the deepest █
█ sentiments, violins in tow, evoking the majesty of █
█ Mother Nature's cleanse, both a torrent of █
█ rejuvenation and a cascade of satiation. Angels █
█ waiting to towel down the tired soul, momentarily █
█ drenched in emotional comfort. This track is so █
█ poignant, intensely vivid and heartfelt, a sheer █
█ joy to behold. Surely a concert highlight, perhaps █
█ even encore material. █
█ Closing the book on this 73 minute extravaganza, █
█ 'Forever and Beyond' is simplicity incarnate, █
█ featuring a radiant and truthful ode to life and █
█ all its tribulations, bathed in a pastoral and █
█ folky setting. Perhaps hearkening back to their █
█ first album , 1999's 'For All We Shared', a time █
█ of rebellious discovery and artistic expression, █
█ this passionate vocal duet between husband and █
█ wife, soon to be father and mother, is as █
█ exhilaratingly personal as it gets and we are all █
█ blessed to be witnesses to all this impending joy. █
█ The feel is upbeat, smiling right and incredibly █
█ positive. █
█ We all need music like this in today's screwed up █
█ world. Panacea, genuine art, passion-fueled music █
█ of the highest order, something anyone with a █
█ pumping heart can understand and ultimately feel █
█ inside of themselves. This Mostly Autumn ship will █
█ keep on flying'. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ Twelve studio albums in, with numerous live albums █
█ and DVD's slotting in between, and Mostly Autumn █
█ are still firing on all cylinders on their most █
█ recent set, 2017's `Sight of Day'. With the much- █
█ loved Heather Findlay-fronted version of the group █
█ truly behind them, the Olivia Sparnenn-led line up █
█ is sounding more settled in, inspired and █
█ determined to impress than ever, and while █
█ `Sight...' may not take the group in many █
█ surprising new directions, it shows them honing to █
█ near-perfection their expected mix of fancy folk, █
█ gutsy prog-rock and emotional vocal-driven █
█ song-writing. As always, Olivia and her hubby, the █
█ charismatic lead guitarist/frontman Bryan Josh, █
█ take the spotlight, but returning █
█ member/multi-instrumentalist Chris Johnson also █
█ offers welcome contributions that shine, and the █
█ album frequently turns out to be a true showcase █
█ for the sublime skill of keyboard player Iain █
█ Jennings. █
█ Mostly Autumn play their proud prog card right █
█ from the opening multi-part title-track, and █
█ throughout its fourteen-plus minute length, the █
█ band offer everything from the most subtle of █
█ Iain's pristine and softly melancholic piano █
█ playing and moody symphonic keyboards, Olivia's █
█ passionate voice carrying the reflective lyric and █
█ Josh's slow-burn ever-building electric guitar █
█ reaches across a range of moods. It manages to █
█ include two big anthemic passages with both the █
█ `And it's the greatest show on Earth...' and `In █
█ the blazing sun the music filled the sky' moments █
█ proving hugely joyful and chest-beating with Josh █
█ and Olivia singing in unison, and they truly takes █
█ the piece higher and higher. Make no mistake - █
█ right from the first spin, it's clear that fans of █
█ the group are going to raise this one up as a █
█ Mostly Autumn classic, displaying a mastery of █
█ controlled build and expertly delivered drama, and █
█ it's going to be a cracker whenever performed █
█ live. █
█ Moving on, the verses of the Bryan-led `Once Round █
█ the Sun' and his raspy vocal convey embracing █
█ `come-together' lyrics but the rest is a muscular █
█ rocker lying somewhere between Jethro Tull and █
█ Deep Purple with its shimmering Hammond organ and █
█ Alex Cromarty's tough pounding drumming, with just █
█ a pinch of Angela Gordon's twirling flute. The █
█ gently confronting piano ballad `The Man Without a █
█ Name' is an Olivia-sung low-key reminder to stay █
█ young at heart, and the initially acoustic and █
█ lightly bluesy `Hammerdown' lifts to life with a █
█ searing Bryan and Olivia shared vocal. █
█ A welcome surprise, `Changing Lives' is written █
█ and performed by multi-instrumentalist Chris █
█ Johnson, and while it eventually pours on some █
█ grander symphonic synths and fiery guitar wailing, █
█ the sprightly and up-tempo piece holds verses █
█ sounding not unlike a track from alt-country █
█ singer Ryan Adams and the chorus is kissed by the █
█ radio-dominating version of Fleetwood Mac! `Only █
█ the Brave' is a hard dusty country-flecked rocker █
█ accompanied by Anna Phoebe's searing violin that █
█ bounces with buoyant momentum and reminds a great █
█ deal of Pink Floyd's `Sheep', but `Native Spirit' █
█ is the other big `prog' moment, a ten-plus minute █
█ epic. Pleading for the preservation of nature, old █
█ way-of-life and spirit, reflective acoustic guitar █
█ passages are contrasted with scorching electric █
█ runs, some surprising darker turns in the middle █
█ that lead towards dramatic symphonic strings and █
█ gloomy synths before a rocking loved-up finale █
█ backed to pounding drums and Andy Smith's pulsing █
█ bass. █
█ Unexpectedly, `Tomorrow Dies' is heavily █
█ electronic and therefore dominated by Iain's █
█ keyboards, and it holds an Olivia-sung chorus that █
█ could easily sit alongside the poppier moments of █
█ German female-fronted indie-prog band Frequency █
█ Drift's `Over' album from 2014 (and listen out for █
█ a brief heavy flamenco guitar-like burst buried █
█ deep in the middle!), and `Raindown' is one of █
█ those fancy orchestrated ballad moments that █
█ Mostly Autumn deliver on all their albums, and █
█ sure enough Olivia excels throughout it with a █
█ powerhouse performance. The wistful and joyous █
█ `Forever and Beyond' wraps the album, an upbeat █
█ tune with an overly pretty melody that perhaps █
█ proves just a little too sweet, where the previous █
█ grander track would probably have made for a █
█ stronger closer, but all good! █
█ As usual, this new album is also available as a █
█ limited edition double CD set with a thirty-five █
█ minute bonus disc. Of the seven tracks included on █
█ it, five of them are a showcase for Olivia █
█ Sparnenn-Josh being a collection of soft rock █
█ songs and classy ballads sung by her, with the █
█ soaring chorus of `Moments' and the optimistic █
█ (and quite unashamedly poppy) `In Time' being █
█ particular highlights. Chris Johnson delivers a █
█ sparse alt-country one-take acoustic tune `Pushing █
█ Down the Floor' that sounds like it could have █
█ come off Ryan Adams superior `29' album, but Pink █
█ Floyd fans will most dig Bryan's six minute Pink █
█ Floyd-flavoured instrumental `July'. With █
█ sparkling and delicately melancholic Rick █
█ Wright-like piano and weeping David Gilmour-esque █
█ guitar wisps, this beautiful piece could easily █
█ pass for an outtake from Floyd's `The Division █
█ Bell' album. This is a very worthy bonus █
█ collection, and would actually make for a fine EP █
█ all on its own. █
█ `Sight of Day' ticks all the right boxes for a █
█ Mostly Autumn album, making it a winning █
█ collection of their accessible melodic █
█ arrangements with frequent displays of █
█ instrumental prowess, superior male-female vocal █
█ class and all the inward-looking soul-searching █
█ lyrics the group is known for. Curious newcomers █
█ wanting to hear a strong example of the band and █
█ their music could easily be recommended `Sight of █
█ Day', and long-time fans will also be in for a █
█ treat with a superb album that ranks up amongst █
█ their best releases. The prog-rock institution █
█ that is Mostly Autumn carries on, stronger and █
█ better than ever. █
▓ ▓
▒ ▒
░ 1. Sight of Day 14:33 ░
░ 2. Once Round the Sun 5:08 ░
░ 3. The Man Without a Name 3:50 ░
░ 4. Hammerdown 6:05 ░
░ 5. Changing Lives 6:17 ░
░ 6. Only the Brave 5:35 ░
░ 7. Native Spirit 10:27 ░
░ 8. Tomorrow Dies 7:20 ░
░ 9. Raindown 8:01 ░
░ 10. Forever and Beyond 6:17 ░
░ 73:33 ░
░ ▒ ▒
▓ █ ░ ▓ ░
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