ONE DROP IN A DRY WORLD

In 2004 there were not many albums I really came to rave about, "Marbles" from Marillion seemed to hold the No. 1 - Spot in my List, but then came Woolly...

Everything I had hoped for after he had left BJH in 1979 and... MORE, "one drop in a dry world" offered a wide stylistic range and many, many good songs with great melodies, sounding more alive than anything BJH had produced without him ( and even beating some of the great albums WITH him in the end ). It sounds fresh, alive, inspired throughout and though you can still here were he came from it's far from being "too close to BJH" for listeners who may not like 'em, I think everybody should give "One drop" a fair try and listen. It's rather an introduction to a unique personal universe of an underrated genius, there are far too many magic moments to mention.

BJH-Lovers of old should be delighted with "Blood and Bones", "Carpet" and the title-track, epic and pathetic, great stuff. As is "Souk", co-credited to guitarist Steve Broomhead, whose love to Hendrix shines through in many ways...

"Explorers" is a very nice and catchy one, too, and the odd reggae in "ANSS" is a case for connaisseurs... bold and courageus as is "It's you", the one that should have made it on the radio.

My favourite track, though, is "2 a.m.", great chords meeting great atmosphere and melody, and the lyric dealing with disappointments, depression, looking for a meaning in it all after too many things have gone wrong... an honest piece of song, it's tearing at my heart, especially when Woolly sings " Are Tony Blairs eyes open wide for Davy kelly's suicide ? "

"The End of the road" is the only one crossing the border into a kitschy ( but yet likeable ) field, great chord-changes still, and I better not forget to name the wonderful "Waiting game"... that's for lovers of stuff like "Float" ( on "Nexus" by BJH through the eyes of John Lees ).

A great album, a personal 5-star for me, there was no better release in 2004 and "marbles" was taken from my personal No. 1 spot in the end. Discover a genius, but don't expect it to be too proggy ( that's why the rating is only 4 stars for you ), there are too many influences to put that stamp on it, lovers of the Beatles should check it out, too !