Derev combines old-school metal and progressive rock with Arab-Armenian sounds. "Buried Voice" opens with a dark alternative, a melody that changes tempo, the vocals flirting with the sounds of Katatonia and Antimatter. The immaculate softness is accentuated by the bass, with Adel amplifying it; a synth break from The Who takes hold, the sound takes off again, captivating, between gray autumn skies and the plains of Kazakhstan. "Cyclone" begins with a cyclical riff, the redundant note both hypnotic and languorous. A classic evolution through the instrumentation bringing musical tension, the lyrics about imposter syndrome. Between doubt and regret, a velvety, melancholic guitar solo to crush any feeling of rebellion. A beautiful progressive exercise, the final fade-out with "Crawl Space" links the cinematic moment filled with a feeling of melancholy, violin, and latent atmosphere. The piano comes from a stressful spatial limbo. "Room 9" explodes, dark prog metal, raw energy, punchy rhythms, a captivating atmosphere with this machine-gun drumming. The riff ticks by, the velvety synth, Armando's sharp guitar solo on a Balkan air; a heavy outro to nod along to.

"Paracusia" with a porcupine riff, velvety synth, and chatty bass, a proven funky instrumental. A true auditory hallucination bringing the guitar to a dynamite jazzy-progressive side. "Tides of Time" is an alternative melancholic ballad with a time signature shifting from 7/8 to 4/4 and a sound reminiscent of the desperate melodic hard rock of the 90s. The guitar solo disarms with its captivating spleen. "Darker Self" with an oriental drum pad, a disarming riff, acoustic with a cajon, everything to send you into a musical trance. A track reminiscent of Soundgarden, Spock's Beard, Rush, and the Von Hertzen Brothers, very varied. The staccato, captivating tune, a sublime guitar solo, further enhances the intoxicating atmosphere. "Trace Within" is ethereal with its Floydian keyboard and gravelly vocals; an atmospheric piece with its airy guitar, a languid vocal duet worthy of Anathema with Hiske as a guest, supported by bursts of piano and a warm darbuka.

Introspective retro prog with a captivating, innovative melancholy. A charming, contemplative, progressive, melodic, and alternative opus, a stunning album oozing with a progressive vibe; a new sound that refers solely to their ideas and pushes back the prog trend. An avant-garde album to keep an eye on. Originally released on Progcensor.

This week has an album that I have been looking forward to for a couple of months, since Hasse Fröberg put up a video of the pre-release single "How Can You Leave Us Now". The full album was released 5 days ago (as I type this? it'll be 10 days when I publish it). The album is called "Love". Please see my Spotlight on the band's long and complex history (Scott Rich on Facebook). The line-up for this album is mostly consistent with the previous album "Look at You Now" from 2023. (That album has one of my earliest, much more informal reviews on Facebook.) The only exception being that keyboardist Lalle Larson is now listed as a full member. The full line up is as follows:

- Roine Stolt / vocals, electric, acoustic, 6- & 12-string guitars, ukulele - Hasse Fröberg / vocals - Lalle Larsson / grand piano, Rhodes piano, Hammond B3, synthesizers - Michael Stolt / bass, moogbass, vocals - Mirko DeMaio / drums & percussion

With: - Hasse Bruniusson / percussion - Jannica Lund / vocals - Aliaksandr Yasinski / accordion - Jacob Collier / "world choirs"

There are two tracks over 10 minutes in length, while the rest range between 2 and 8 minutes in length. This is a mostly cold listen, having only heard "We Claim the Moon" and "How Can You Leave Us Now" previously. Without further ado, let's listen!

Track 1- We Claim the Moon

This begins with some sound effects fading in, then some marimba (I think), before a cut time beat and a cool riff with a 60's vibe kicks in. Great organ sound at around 40 seconds. The vocals from Hasse Fröberg begin at around 1 minute, before the riff takes back over. Beautiful arranging as we get ready for the first verse. There is more marimba or whichever similar percussion instrument that is prior to the vocals coming in fully. This is a high energy track! Nice harmonies around 2:30. The dynamic level comes down around the 3 minute mark, and Hasse sings with a jazzy backdrop. I love all of the dynamic shifts. The rhythm goes to a halftime beat before 4 minutes. Lots of full, lush chords there. It comes way down at around 5:15 and there is a very cool keyboard feature from Lalle Larson. There is a big finish at around 6:10, but then some sequenced synth sounds keep going that take us to the fade-out. Great, high-energy opening track!

Track 2 - The Elder

This is the longest one at 11:10. The title reminds me of 1981's "(Music From) The Elder" by KISS, the closest they ever got to prog, but I digress?

A glockenspiel melody starts us off here, establishing the melody that is soon repeated by vocals in harmony. I believe Hasse & Roine are alternating on vocals here. This one has an inspirational ballad vibe to it. After a verse/chorus, there is a pause then a drum fill leads us to a melodic guitar solo. There is a new melody following, starting with Roine's voice, then Hasse's. Things begin to build up at around the 4 minute mark. But then mellow out with a keyboard feature. The next verse is slightly more up-tempo. Another guitar solo follows. A sustained power chord takes us to ethereal keyboards, then a variation of the chorus, before an instrumental section begins in true FK's style. The instrumental brings us to a quieter vocal section sung by Roine. Then there is another keyboard feature. The music gets "big" at 10 minutes. This is a quintessential Flower Kings track. After a few guitar flourishes, the track fades out on sustained synth chords. A good solid FK track; I enjoyed it, even if it didn't blow me away.

Track 3 - How Can You Leave Us Now!?

Piano chords start us off, and Michal Stolt joins on fretless bass. Roine's vocals begin at around 40 seconds in. After a verse, there are classically influenced flourishes, joined by guitar, then synth. A harmony vocal section joins next. The drums have been limited to cymbal rolls and occasional accents so far. The drums become steady around 3:30 or so. Lead guitar joins in at just before the 5 minute point. A quieter section resolves the song. Good ballad. I can see why that was the lead off single.

Track 4 - World Spinning

This is one of the two tracks that are sub-3-minutes, and the shortest overall at 2:10. A nice amalgam of keyboard tones starts this off. Lalle Larson's presence is really felt on this album. There is a neat "hopping" tone before one minute. This seems to be a keyboard solo. I like it. I get some Wakeman influences. I wouldn't have minded a bit more of that.

Track 5- Burning Both Edges

This is the third longest track at 7:50. Foreboding sounds start this off, but they are softened by the keyboard sounds. Hasse is singing in a dreamy high-register tone. Nice key change at 1:45! I like the arrangement at around 2:15 with the layers of sound there. There are occasional panned synth flourishes over the vocals. This is a mid- tempo so far. The instrumental break around 3:40 is quite nice. Vocals return by 4:10. A guitar solo begins at around 4:35, that gives me Carlos Santana vibes. Synth takes back over around 5:15. Great run at 5:38. Excellent FK's BIG moment around 6:15! I think this one is my favorite so far! The ending has a nice crescendo. Great track!

Track 6 - The Rubble

This one has a bluesy vibe. I like the contrasting vocal and instrumental sections. Cool groove at 1:50. I like the conga drums. The chorus has a catchy hook "walking in the rubble, getting into trouble". At about 2:40 we have a guitar solo, followed by keyboard/guitar harmonies. We begin leading up to the finish at around the 4 minute mark, but it kind of just fizzles out. Pretty good, but I would have liked a more defined ending.

Track 7- Kaiser Razor

This is the other one that clocks in below 3 minutes at 2:32. An organ chord fades in and we get a big dramatic FK intro. Following that the piano takes the lead, with a nice drum pattern from Mirko. I like the rhythms in this. Excellent guitar run just before 1:30. This seems to be a nice little instrumental. It would make a good intro to an epic. Roine's guitar playing is on fire here. Great track, but I want more of it! I'm wondering if Kaiser Razor is the guy on the album cover?

Track 8 - The Phoenix

A slow fade in leads to a big strummed acoustic chord, then a slow tempo is established with bass & keys joining in. The vocals begin for a verse, then the drums join in. This seems to be a bit of a duet between Roine & Hasse. Roine takes a nice melodic guitar solo at around the 2 minute mark. Awesome harmonies around 3:10. The instruments fade out to bring us to a close. Beautiful ballad.

Track 9 - The Promise

A slow organ melody starts us off, then Roine begins singing with acoustic guitar and organ. There are some wonderful harmonies as we progress. There is accordion at around 1:20, then the band kicks in with a faster tempo. The sound is very charming. The drums drop out and the others play some call & response type melodies. Another verse follows. As we approach the ending there is a moment where they sing the word "celebrations" over and over in harmony. The instruments bring us to the conclusion of the song.

Track 10 - Love Is

Clean electric and unique vocals begin the song. The synths and other instruments play a few figures, then we get another BIG FKs moment, before the first full verse begins. Roine and Hasse are sharing vocal duties on this. Nice drum fill from Mirko at 2 minutes. That leads us into a transitional part, followed by what I can best describe as a "circus band march". Vocals join that beat. By 3 minutes we have returned to a more rock tone. Great accents at around 3:15. Lots of various melodies and tempo changes are happening here. Mirko gets a moment of unaccompanied drumming at around 5 minutes. This one has a very classic FKs sound. Great track!

Track 11 - Walls of Shame

This begins softly with some free time sound effects and guitar licks. The verse begins to give us some rhythm. The beat gets stronger as we proceed. Hasse seems to be taking the lead in the vocals on this one but Roine's voice is present too. This one is more mid-tempo. Nice wah-wah guitar solo around the 3 minute mark. This song is also signature FKs in sound. Roine and Hasse may be the only constants for the FK career, and Roine's brother Michael (an early member of the line-up) returned a couple of albums back, but Lalle and Mirko are doing a great job at creating the classic FKs tone. Hasse is giving a top-notch vocal performance as the song reaches its climax. Fantastic track!

Track 12 - Considerations

The final track is the second longest at 10:15. A drum fill leads us in, with what sounds like a mellotron in the prominent role. Roine's lead guitar takes over and by 1 minute he is using a slide. I love the piano and guitar flourishes during the transition from the intro to the next section. Things get quiet and dreamy keys and glockenspiel make a bed for the vocals, which are in a low register. I believe that this is Michal Stolt on lead vocals here; he sounds like a lower range version of his brother. There are some question and answer vocal harmonies as we proceed. Nice tempo change after 3 minutes. The instrumental sound is pure FKs, but Michael's vocal sound brings a new color to the palette. Roine takes a guitar solo around 5:30. Lalle follows with a fantastic synth solo. The music pauses briefly at 7 minutes, and there is a flute sound and harpsichord in a very classical sounding section, with Michael's vocals resuming. Then we get a big FKs guitar-led melodic instrumental section. Things seem to be building to a climax as the mellotron returns. There was a nice sweep picking arpeggio from Roine right around 9 minutes. Things quiet down before a crescendo brings us to the closing. Harmony vocals sort of float by in the final seconds. Amazing track!!

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

This is a solid album overall, even though some of the songs along the way do seem a bit mellow and not as energetic as I might have preferred. That said, the songs are all well-written, arranged, and produced. It kicks off energetically on track 1, then eases off for a bit on tracks 2 and 3, before picking up again on tracks 4-7. It eases off again on tracks 8 and 9 then finishes strong on the final three tracks. 2, 3, 8, and 9 aren't bad, just not as strong as the others to me. I'll give this a 4.5 out of 5 stars. Roine and company are still a force to be reckoned with in the prog world!

Clicked 4 but really 4.5!

The twenty-fifth 7-inch record by Indexi was released at the end of 1980. At the same time, this was the 11th single released by Jugoton. Graphic designer Ivan Ivezic prepared a multicolored combination (blue, green, red, and yellow) for the cover, which seems to evoke a modernist artistic image of a setting sun on the horizon. Consciously or not, the image also indicates that Indexi were at the twilight of their career at this point, at least when it came to their recording and concert activities. They were acting less and less like a cohesive band, and would gather only occasionally for performances at popular music festivals. They had long since ceased to be considered a rock group worthy of attention, and during the year of the fierce breakthrough of the new wave in Yugoslavia (in 1980, notable records were released by Azra, Pankrti, Prljavo kazaliste, Paraf, while the Belgrade trio - Sarlo akrobata, Elektricni orgazam, and Idoli recorded material for the "Paket aranzman" LP, which soon dominated the radio waves and charts), they were almost not mentioned at all in the media and music press. Consequently, this single went largely unnoticed. Although not stated anywhere on the record itself, these are two songs that Indexi performed at festival events, two years apart. The recording studio is unknown to me, although records from the RTV Sarajevo phonotheque indicate that it was likely the Sarajevo studio. At this time, the band still consisted of: Slobodan A. Kovacevic - guitar, Davorin Popovic - vocals, Fadil Redzic - bass guitar, Nenad Jurin - keyboards, and Djordje Kisic - drums.

The hit track on the A-side, "Njene oci, usne, ruke" ("Her Eyes, Lips, Hands"), represents another compositional contribution by the Belgrade schlager maestro Aleksandar Korac, with lyrics by the little-known Ivica Vidric. Indexi performed it on June 28th at the "Vas slager sezone" festival in Sarajevo, and according to phonotheque data, it was recorded in the studio on March 20th, 1980. As I have already pointed out in reviews of earlier singles, Korac's name was not a guarantee of the musical quality we were accustomed to from Indexi, and his works too often approached the border of good taste. Music critic Ognjen Tvrtkovic shared a similar opinion, writing in Oslobodjenje daily on July 1st, 1980, immediately after the festival: "Indexi continue to profane themselves by performing sloppy schlagers by A. Korac, which even a high standard of interpretation does not save from swift oblivion." However, listening to this track today, after several decades, reveals some interesting musical details. The arrangers Kovacevic and Ismet Arnautalic, a former member of the band, were certainly responsible for the "high standard of interpretation" of this song. It has a strong, almost danceable rhythm with a bass guitar featuring a pronounced disco groove. The drums are somewhat muffled, and a particularly interesting detail is that the rhythm of the song is maintained throughout, almost metronomically without pause, by small hand percussion instruments - maracas and a ratchet. The guitar occasionally interjects with its melodic riff, supported by synthesizers whose tones sometimes venture into rhythmic electropop. Popovic frequently uses his famous vocal vibrato, and backing vocals also appear in certain places, making it difficult to say whether it's his multitracking or if Redzic joins in with his well- known falsetto. Despite justified criticism of Korac's "signature," the song still sounds solid today, although it is certainly not a great achievement, and indeed, as time would show, it was quickly forgotten. At the time of its release, "Njene oci..." was nevertheless a minor hit, as evidenced by a video clip from the Sarajevo studio that can be found on YouTube.

The B-side features a song that was not released for the first time here. "Oj, Neretvo" ("Oh, Neretva") is a patriotic song with lyrics by Miso Maric, evoking memories of the Partisans and their battles from World War II. The phonotheque records the recording date as October 29th, 1978, and it was performed in November of the same year at the "Festival of Patriotic and Revolutionary Songs" in Zagreb. It first appeared on a festival "cocktail" album in December 1978. Indexi had tried their hand at this genre before ("Jugoslavija" and "Zivjela Jugoslavija"), which was a common practice for many popular performers at the time, especially in the period immediately following the death of Yugoslav President Josip Broz Tito (he died in May 1980). Since Indexi did not have enough new material at the time, Jugoton's editors decided to re-release this older composition for the commemorative occasion. As for the song itself, let's first set aside the heart-rending and for-the-moment "commissioned" lyrics. The musical texture is quite impressive and falls within the framework of a somewhat "lighter" intoned symphonic prog rock, typical of Indexi. A somber and serious atmosphere is emphasized by the striking of (tubular?) bells, while the guitar sobs a mournful melody. The drums and bass enter powerfully into the sonic picture, accompanied by an acoustic guitar. Kovacevic embellishes the track with a beautiful guitar solo, but the part of the chorus where they sing "Sutjeska, Neretva" is not very good, both due to poor intonation and awkward rhymes in the lyrics. Nevertheless, this song, at least in its basic musical part composed and arranged by Kovacevic, deserves a passing grade.

PA rating: 2/5 Personal rating: 3/5

Well-Produced Emptiness

Even In Arcadia is one of those albums that, on paper, should be huge — a mix of hip hop, R&B, trap, pop, djent, atmospheric textures, and a vocalist with a super distinctive voice. It all sounds ambitious, but the execution ends up feeling like a mash-up of the most overused elements from each genre, without that “something” to make it stand out.

From the start, the album shows its cards: smooth beats, tightly processed guitars, familiar melodies and vocal tricks. But as it goes on, the whole thing starts to drag. I honestly struggled to finish it. Not because it’s “bad”, but because it just feels empty. There’s a constant emotional disconnect, a lack of soul — especially compared to the last record, where every song felt like a personal confession.

Vessel is still a talented performer, no doubt, but here his vocals fall into the same patterns — melodically and lyrically. The autotune and heavy vocal processing don’t help either. Instead of adding emotion, they end up hiding it. And it’s not like autotune is the enemy — when used intentionally, it can actually work — but here it feels more like a stylistic crutch than a creative choice that gives weight to the music.

There are moments — some instrumental bits, cool harmonies, nice vocal lines — where you feel like something great could happen. But it doesn’t. The ideas just float there, unresolved and undeveloped. They get lost in predictable song structures or get buried under layers of production that don’t let the music breathe.

The lyrics, meanwhile, aim for something honest and personal, but too often end up sounding like a string of social-media-ready one-liners. It feels more preachy than cathartic, and doesn’t really connect with the music in a meaningful way.

Even In Arcadia isn’t a trainwreck, but it is a letdown. A collection of nice little fragments with no clear direction, watered down. It tried to do too much, but in the end, it leaves you with almost nothing.

Music: 1 star

Lyrics: 2 stars

Execution: 3 stars

Emotion: 1 stars

Production: 4 stars

Artwork: 1 stars

Average: 2

Pleasant but not world-shaking live album from Sky, available in various editions - the most complete being the one included in the Studio Albums 1979-1987 boxed set from Esoteric, despite the fact that it's not a studio album and isn't from that time period. In fact, it hails from 1990 and captures the last lineup of the band as they headed towards a dignified but not spectacular fade-out to their career; despite playing live at this time they didn't feel they had the material to knock out another studio album and decided to put the project to bed. The material here tends towards the gentler "easy listening jazz fusion" side of their sound, so don't expect pyrotechnics, but then again they were never that pyrotechnic of a group to begin with.

It's been said by at least one person whose insights I value that artists who lost their way in the 1980s often found the plot again in the 1990s. Unfortunately, once the audience skedaddles it's hard to recover their trust. For SALLY OLDFIELD, "Natasha" seems self aware in its circling back to matching generally mystical lyrics with more suitable arrangements and production, including the return to her hypnotic repetitive figures best exemplified in "In the Presence of the Spring", her best track in a decade.

Even on the opener, with all its technological flare, the percussion and shout-chanted vocals seem to correct the errors of the prior two or three releases, with even her silky voice on the rise. The dreamy ballad "Natasha" is by several accounts an ode to herself as she is sometimes known by this name, perhaps a clever alteration of her middle name "Patricia". "Clear Light" is a trance like brief incantation, so by the time we get to the ripoff of a tune from her first album, it's obvious that at least some of what's here is in the same league.

Slipping in at just under 3.5 stars, "Natasha" is a mature effort that suggests this experienced singer, songwriter and musician has found inspiration in sincere self reflection.

Cosmograf is a very consistent project, but I noticed recently that I tend to love an album, then just enjoy the next, then love the following one, and so on. So, starting with the first one I heard, The Man Left in Space, I loved it, then only partially connected with Capacitor, then adored The Unreasonable Silence, and on and on. That trend has stopped, however. I absolutely loved 2022's Heroic Materials, and now Robin is launching The Orphan Epoch on May 23rd, and it is close to tying with Mind Over Depth as my favorite from him.

Robin Armstrong of the UK is the brains behind the project. When I say "brains", I really do mean that since Cosmograf is lyrically heady and precisely composed in a way that only a perfectionist could produce. He brings with him fantastic drummer Kyle Fenton, and Peter Jones guests on saxophone on one track.

This album represents some changes in Cosmograf. I mean, the sound is basically the same: progressive rock with some edge. But I sense something different, not so much an evolution as a full realization of the project's style. Robin doesn't seem shy about flexing his guitarist muscles anymore, and the keys, too, are gorgeous and played with aplomb. With the excellent rhythm section, towering saxophone spot, and continued strong lyrics, this album feels more completely Cosmograf.

The album addresses the divide that society wants to place between groups of people. This choice is most often binary, never nuanced or accounting for other ideas. They want to herd us into one of two labels, which I suppose would make it easier to control. The Orphan Epoch sets this as a foundation but then discusses young people and the disconnection and disinformation that is fed to them as they grow to become the next generation. What future awaits? Can the world handle such toxicity and lies?

The album has seven songs and they are all terrific. The singles "Kings and Lords" and "You Didn't See the Thief" are both outstanding; I love how hard the former rocks, and how the backing vocals add a sense of sobriety and history. Robin's guitar solo near the end is pure fire. The latter is even better, though, with its reserved character, electronic tone, and robust instrumental. What a great song!

But, you know, those aren't even my favorites. I love the opener "Division Warning", a pumping and powerful track with celestial keys and a sense of urgency. "We Are the Young" follows with more of an acoustic sound, but that marches into a whirling organ atmosphere of choices and confusion and melody.

My favorite track on the album is "Seraphim Reels", feeling a bit like a 2000s Porcupine Tree song with an injection of saxophone. I absolutely adore how Peter is featured throughout; Robin's voice is perhaps the most vulnerable and expressive that it's ever been. It's honestly a quieter track for the most part, but Peter lays down a thrilling, gritty sax solo that blows me away every time. I love how Robin's guitar takes its lead, ending the track in a deeply satisfying way.

The last two tracks on the album are both winners, too. "Empty Box" is a softer song that mostly floats in dark spaces with Robin's vocals. I like how it briefly erupts near the end, but the song works very well as an introspective break in the music. The closer "The Road of Endless Miles" doesn't try to impress with fancy tricks; no, this piece is pure and golden rock with fantastic guitar work, a memorable rhythmic hook, and an ambience that makes me want to listen forever. Between the gorgeous piano and melodic guitar work, the song easily becomes a favorite even if just because it sounds so damn attractive.

Cosmograf's albums are always worth the time, and it feels like Robin is only getting better at what he does. This album is quintessential Cosmograf, more so than anything else he's produced. Combine that with some of the feelings of Porcupine Tree's Fear of a Blank Planet, and you have a potent record that prog rock fans absolutely must hear.

'Curious Ruminant' finds Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson yet again floating on a cloud of neo-classical massage parlour music. This one however is a solid set of melodic, flute-tinged rock in the style of the group's late 70s Folk-themed albums like 'Heavy Horses' and 'Songs From the Wood'. In slight contrast to the previous two studio releases, this 9 track album is somewhat more concise and accessible- the only cons being Anderson's failing stage whispers and the lightweight production which undermine the muscularity of the band- particularly the guitars. This sameness of approach does not serve Ian Anderson well and I strongly believe that a different producer with a younger set of ears would energise the Tull sound next time. Having said that, this third album in as many years is a step above the previous two.

SONAR invited David Torn back for the second straight studio album after the success of 2018's "Vortex". Here we are a year later with "Tranceportation-Volume 1" but this time the music has been composed with David Torn in mind. Despite this fact I still prefer "Vortex" to this one. I was really hoping this album might crack my top three SONAR related albums, but no. A solid 4 stars but this one doesn't move out of it's comfort zone, being quite uniform sounding throughout, to the point each track sounds very similar.

I still have "Vortex" and "Three Movements" as my favourite SONAR records then add Stephan Thelen's "Fractal Guitar" and you have my top three. Love the tritone guitars and bass on this one. A five piece lineup including Torn as we have three guitarists with both Stephan Thelen and Bernhard Wagner playing tritone guitars. Torn doesn't. He has his electric plus adds live looping. Christian Kuntner on bass is a big improvement with his tritone bass to the FRACTAL SEXTET bass sound. And I found that band to be too minimalistic.

It is pretty cool the atmosphere and spacey sounds that are created through the guitars. No keyboards here. Manuel Pasquinelli is like a Swiss clock on drums and percussion. This album sounds amazing clocking in at a tidy 39 minutes over four tracks. I won't describe the tracks as I will be repeating myself constantly. A top ten for 2019 but I will take Stephan Thelen's "Fractal Guitar" also from 2019 over this in a heartbeat. This music is incredible to listen to when driving I might add.

The general lyrical theme on this 1988 album seems to relate to how much better the world would be if we were just honest with one another, as people and entities, and relied on our instincts. Well...if this didn't work in 1968, it wasn't going to work 20 years later. If only that were the biggest problem here.

"Instinct" isn't a whole lot different from its predecessor "Femme" in its polished production and arrangements, though perhaps with a tad less backbone, a possible consequence of Oldfield ceding many of the songwriting credits to others. The very good but hardly a near classic "House of Silence" is a credible cross between CHRIS DE BURGH and LOREENA MCKENNITT, while "Oleanders" reflects a path she might have followed to greater recognition. Most of the rest is forgettable synth pop blessed with a voice that deserves better, even on the collaboration with JUSTIN HAYWARD. If Sally had only trusted her instincts, which works better in art than in real life, what might have been?