THE CLOCKWORK MAN

I was reluctant to look into this band after hearing a couple of tunes and doing my diligent research... after all the singer is the only constant member over the past 6 years, and sees fit to include his name in the bands title? Red flags. But I took the plunge, and my fears of a dominant alpha male directing all his musos so as to reflect his talent is clearly misplaced. In fact, quite the opposite; John Cook (guitar) and Leigh Perkins (keyboards) are given many great moments to shine, which is remarkable as they are both fronting for Al Winters band for the first time. The album starts with atmospheric opener The River Pts 1 and 2, which give an early indication of what Cook and Perkins (equally adept with synth and piano) can provide. A highlight for the duo is their co-written instrumental Reflection, including a rollicking piano and guitar section which reminds of a long ago Pablo Cruise instrumental. Winters voice is decent, without being a dominant feature; best when given room to breathe in tracks such as the Marillionesque Lights and the album highlight Nothing Lasts Forever. This track has a gorgeous melancholic opening half with interludes from a pan pipe (moog?) and then it's interrupted by a soaring synth followed by a blistering guitar solo, before returning to the original vibe. Love this. This album demands more of my attention, at this stage I have treated it as a group of songs as opposed to a complete opus that all concept albums deserve. I need to check out the story and this albums lyrics, I am sure it will assist my appreciation even further, particularly the final track which I feel is a let down sonically, but accept it would be more powerful if taken in context of the unfolding tale that is portrayed.