MOSTLY AUTUMN

This veteran U.S. Prog Folk band, releasing their 15th album, an expansive 76 min affair, and it is quite an enjoyable listen, if you are OK with its limitations. I would describe this as dramatic, atmospheric folk-rock with prog elements, and it is filled with simple but effective songs and engaging melodies that are given lush treatment. Great emotional vocal performances, and the contrasting styles, and interaction of the main female and male vocalists are the main highlights of the album. Unfortunately, several of the songs are stretched-out much longer than they should be through repetition rather than musical inventiveness. Even the mostly effective epic-length (19 min) Pink Floyd-inspired title track is much longer than needed. Good, but could have been much better. Rating: 3.0

Review Nº 888

When two friends started their first steps in music with the sole ambition of playing songs of their favourite band, Pink Floyd, couldn't imagine they would become as one of the leaders of the revival movement of the prog rock of the 70's. It was trying to learn the delicate Pink Floyd melodies that the two English of York friends, Bryan Josh (vocals, guitars and keyboards) and Liam Davison (vocals and guitars) created the basis of what would be Mostly Autumn. For the band to become perfect, joined to them some other band's members like Iain Jennings (vocals and keyboards), Kev Gibbons (whistles - an instrument widely used in Celtic folk), Bob Faulds (fiddle), Stuart Carver (bass), Alan Scott (drums) and specially Heather Findlay (lyrics, vocals, guitars, whistles, bodhran, tambourine and a lot of charisma and sensuality).

In 1998 they released their debut studio album 'For All We Shared', which won fans immediately, and began to receive invitations from festivals dedicated to progressive rock music worldwide. With the sudden notoriety and with each new album, it became visible the growth of the band and the unanimous recognition was obtained with the release of their third studio album 'The Last Bright Light' in 2001, considered their best studio work to date. Despite several changes into their line up, the backbone of the group and the spirit of the music continue keeping the flame burning very high.

'Heroes Never Die - The Anthology' is the debut compilation album of Mostly Autumn and was released in 2002. It provides an introduction to the band's music using re-recorded material from their first four studio albums 'For All We Shared' and 'The Spirit Of Autumn Past' of 1999, and 'The Last Bright Light' and 'Music Inspired By The Lord Of The Rings' of 2001. So, this anthology of Mostly Autumn isn't properly an ordinary compilation from the band but a revisit to some of their essential songs with new arrangements to produce a definitive introduction to Mostly Autumn's music.

The line up that participates on the anthology is Bryan Josh (lead and backing vocals and lead guitars), Heather Findley (lead and backing vocals), Iain Jennings (backing vocals, keyboards, piano, Hammond organ and synthesizers), Angela Goldthorpe (backing vocals, flute and recorders), Andy Smith (bass guitars) and Jonathon Blackmore (drums).

'Heroes Never Die - The Anthology' has twelve tracks. 'Never The Rainbow' is from 'The Last Bright Light'. It's a great fast rock song with a nice memorable catchy tune, nicely sung by Findlay and a good guitar work by Josh. 'We Come And We Go' is from 'The Last Bright Light'. It's a soft acoustic mellow ballad so characteristic of Mostly Autumn. It's a nice song with a catchy melody, reach vocal harmonies and a fine guitar work. 'Please' is from 'The Spirit Of Autumn Past'. It's a great song with great vocal harmonies, nice guitar work and a good keyboard performance. 'The Spirit Of Autumn Past' is from 'The Spirit Of Autumn Past'. This is the highlight of 'The Spirit Of Autumn Past'. It's a song with wonderful vocal harmony and chorus, one of the best pieces made by the band. This is a shorter version. 'Evergreen' is from 'The Spirit Of Autumn Past'. It has all the ingredients of a Mostly Autumn's song, strong and nice vocal harmonies, a slightly rockier tempo, the guitar style of David Gilmour and the unequivocal voice of Findlay. 'The Riders Of Rohan' is from 'Music Inspired By The Lord Of The Rings'. It's an uplifting and joyful rolling piano melody, sung in a friendly voice by Findlay. 'The Great Blue Pearl' is from 'The Spirit Of Autumn Past'. This is a very beautiful song with catchy chorus and Pink Floyd harmonies. It's a slow ballad introduced by Hammond organ and a nice guitar riff that features a superb guitar solo in Gilmour's vein. 'Noise From My Head' is the only original track on the anthology. It was never released on any studio album of the group. It's great and pleasant to hear. 'Half The Mountain' is from 'The Last Bright Light'. It's a nice song, another brilliant song with beautiful instrumental passages, great guitar work and powerful vocal parts. 'Shrinking Violet' is from 'The Last Bright Light'. It's a wonderful ballad superiorly sung by Findlay and a fantastic choral work on the back and a real superb guitar performance by Josh. 'Goodbye Alone' is from 'Music Inspired By The Lord Of The Rings'. It's a calm melancholic piece, with a good instrumentation and a nice guitar solo at the end. 'Heroes Never Die' is from 'For All We Shared'. This is the best song on their debut album and one of their best compositions. This is a great epic with a sumptuous final especially provided by the final guitar solo of Josh.

Conclusion: 'Heroes Never Die - The Anthology', is a compilation with some of their best tracks re-worked, re- crafted and re-recorded which has now been substituted by the double CD compilation 'Catch The Spirit ' The complete Anthology', released in the same year. In reality, 'Heroes Never Die - The Anthology' is an excellent collection of songs of some of the band's earlier musical works, the first four studio albums of the group, and as Bryan Josh wrote, we can considered those four studio albums the first chapter of the musical career of the band. Concluding, 'Heroes Never Die - The Anthology' has a truly astonishing collection of songs where every song is simply amazing. So, this is a great introduction to the band. Anyway, 'Catch The Spirit ' The complete Anthology' is the perfect introduction to the band.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

2025 has already been quite a year for prog releases, with acts such as Dream Theater, Karmakanic, Steven Wilson and Pattern Seeking Animals, already having released very strong albums (which I have reviewed) along with releases on the horizon like (Alex Lifeson's) Envy of None and The Flower Kings, and lesser known acts that I have either reviewed or done a spotlight on like Andy Toomey, The Swan Chorus, Magic Pie, and Massimo Pieretti, either already releasing new material of about to do so.

Today, I will be reviewing the latest album, called "Seawater", from UK Prog-Folk stalwarts Mostly Autumn. They have been led by guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Bryan Josh since their founding in the mid-90s, and he has been the only consistent member throughout their history. MA has been described as a blend of Prog-Folk and harder edged Neo-prog with a lot of Pink Floyd influence (several of the original members played in a Pink Floyd Tribute band); in fact, not long before his passing, PF keyboardist Rick Wright mentioned that he liked their music. They even released a live PF tribute album in 2004. This is their 15th studio album since they began releasing them in the late 90s. While I have heard a fair amount of MA songs in the past, I am far from an expert. This will be the first album of theirs I will have listened to in its entirety. This line-up has been pretty stable for around a decade, with only one member change since 2015 (so far as I can discern) when Henry Rogers took over the drum throne in 2018 from Alex Cromarty.

Here is the line-up for the "Seawater" album:

- Bryan Josh / guitars, vocals - Olivia Sparnenn-Josh/ vocals - Iain Jennings / keyboards - Chris Johnson / guitars - Andy Smith / bass - Angela Gordon / flute, keyboards - Henry Rogers / drums

With: - Troy Donockley / uilleann pipes, low whistle (1,2) (he is a frequent MA collaborator)

Without further fanfare, let's dig in. This is a cold listen with the exception of having heard and really enjoying "If Only For a Day."

Track 1 - Let's Take a Walk (Featuring Troy Donockley)

It begins with a slow fade in of nature sounds, The instruments begin entering quietly by around 20 seconds. Just before the one minute mark some power chords are strummed, then Donockley enters with his pipes. The first vocals enter after the 2-minute point by Bryan Josh. Drums begin accenting as we get to the 3 minute point. This is getting a slightly Celtic flavor as we progress. The rhythm section enters along with a nice organ wash. By around 4:20 the instruments go back down to menial levels. Olivia Sparnenn-Josh sings harmonies with her husband (they married after she had been in the band for several years, first as a background singer, then a lead singer). The sound is very full and well-produced. At 5:44 Donockley re-enters. If it weren't for its 9 minute length, this could be a hit on country radio (that's NOT an insult, to be clear); it's a bit like something John Mellencamp would do (again, except the length) and he'd probably be considered country if he came out nowadays. Great guitar solo at the end from Josh. To sum up, I'd say it's a rockin' tune with a mixture of Celtic and country flavors. It's prog in its scope, if not in its execution. Regardless, I really like the song! It has a great energy to kick off the album.

Track 2 - Why Do We Remember all the Rain (Featuring Troy Donockley)

This one has a 6-6 Celtic lilt at the beginning with Donockley on his flute. Olivia takes the lead vocals here, and she sounds wonderful. The beat switches to 4 as the rest of the band kicks in. Henry Rogers is playing a cool drum part. A guitar solo begins around 2:40. This one has more of the sound I have come to associate with Mostly Autumn. I love how the guitar and flute lines intertwine around 4 minutes. Great track!

Track 3 - Be Something

Bryan Josh takes back over on lead vocals right off the bat with a strummed acoustic guitar. He has a bit of a gruff voice, but he makes it work! After the upbeat 4-4 opening chorus, he goes into a slower 6-8 for the verse. On the second chorus, Olivia joins him with some subtle playing from the rhythm section. The alternating meters keep happening in the same manner. The chorus is a bit of an earworm. It finally opens up to the full band around 2:45. They like to fill the sound with a big fat organ tone. There is a key change leading into the guitar solo, which is based on the choruses. This is a very inspirational song. Great song!

Track 4 - When We Ran

Soft, ethereal keyboards start this one out. A piano joins, beginning to establish a slow rhythm. Bryan is the lead vocalist as the singing begins. This is very quiet so far. The music comes to a pause at around 2:15, then a rhythmic synth part that reminds me of the synth part that begins "The Secret of My Success" by Night Ranger starts. The synth then adds a melodic part that almost seems Spanish or Mexican in nature (not sure why, but that's the impression it gives me). This has developed a bit of an 80s new wave synth vibe augmented by some power chords. Olivia joins in on harmonies in the next section and the bridge. At 5:00 the key goes up a step for the guitar solo. Following the solo, we have a "breakdown" section. The chorus returns at around 6:15. The melodies are very uplifting. Another key change happens at 6:40, then yet another for the next guitar solo at around 7:15. The song begins to fade out over the final minute while the guitar solo continues. However it doesn't fade entirely, there is a definite ending. I believe Angela Gordon doubles some of the guitar lines with flute towards the ending. Good track!

Track 5 - If Only For a Day

This is the one I have heard already, but only once before. It begins as a piano ballad in a minor key with Olivia singing. Her voice is very expressive. She jumps an octave on the 3rd verse. A subtle rhythm section starts on the second verse. This song is a slow burn. Power chords kick in half way through the verse and the rhythm section gets stronger. This song is heavy in a "Comfortably Numb" kind of way. Bryan Josh likes the "key change for guitar solos" thing. Olivia's singing is phenomenal on this! Another guitar solo follows. Bryan is really showing his Gilmour influence here. Lots of powerful sustained notes with emphasis on the feel. My favorite track on the album so far!

Track 6 - When Nations Collide

Soft keyboards and Olivia's voice start us off here. A strumming acoustic (12 string I believe) joins in at just before one minute. We are in a slow 6-8 here. The song gets a stronger rhythm starting at around 2:30 The guitar solo explodes in at around 3:35. This one is also Floydian, reminding me of "On the Turning Away." There are some interesting chord progressions in this one. The stunning voice of Olivia Sparnenn-Josh is the clear star of this song though. (I've been using her first name for much of the review though for "economy of typing." No disrespect meant.) Nice track.

Track 7 - My Home

This begins with some sound effects, joined by some clean electric guitar that sounds like its inside of a very large echoey bathroom. Bryan Josh is the singer here. 12-string acoustic is blended in. The song kicks in with power chords and it begins to have a slightly country vibe again. Bryan is singing in the lower ends of his range for the verses, then jumps up a register in the choruses. Nice key change for the bridge at around 2:40. They key changes for the guitar solo again. Bryan likes to sing the big, inspirational, pump-you-up kind of songs. This one almost has a Bon Jovi vibe to it in the chorus, but please don't hold that against it! It's a good track!

Track 8 - Mars

This one begins with a hymn kind of feel to it. Bryan is the lead vocalist again. This one's lyrics seem to be a call back to the previous song, when he sings "To think that I could lay down on Mars, and dream of my home? (Olivia joins in) So far away." At 2:20, the song suddenly gets "huge" sounding and Olivia takes over in dramatic fashion! Then, guess what? The key changes for the guitar solo! (It's all good though, Bryan! It's nice hearing key changes.) Some of the notes in the solo are excessively high, so I believe he is using a slide past the end of the neck, over the body of the guitar to get them, or he is using an effect pedal, but I believe it is the former. Olivia returns on vocals afterward. Her vocals are spectacular! Great track!

Track 9 - Future Is a Child

Keyboard tones and acoustic guitar enter with a very slight "Welcome to the Machine." vibe. Bryan starts the vocals by singing the title phrase. Olivia joins on the second verse, and there is a subtle rimshot rhythm in the drums. At one minute in or so, the music explodes and Olivia takes charge on the vocals! Bang! It reminds me of when Ann Wilson jumps an octave on "Alone" by Heart. Bryan takes back over on the verses, soon joined by Olivia on harmonies. The drums pick up the rhythm. Olivia does her fantastic dramatic thing again around 2:30. Nice vocal harmonies in the bridge. Bryan takes an acoustic lead at around 3:30?tasty. Olivia takes back over again afterward. A cool flute solo with Moody Blues vibes happens at around the 5 minute mark. Then Bryan takes over with a big descending riff behind his solo. The first time I have heard the bass stand out on the album is around the 6 minute point. Big solo from Bryan as the song reaches its conclusion. This is one of the better tracks on the album. Well done!

Track 10 - Seawater

But one track remains, and it's a doozie! The 19 minute closing title epic! Quiet piano commences this one, then Olivia begins singing softly, sometimes doubled an octave lower by Bryan. There are thunder sound effects with the vocals & piano after 1:10. The music pauses briefly around 1:40 then a more rhythmic piano part takes over (Iain Jennings, I assume, although Angela Gordon also plays keys along with her flute skills). This is a well-played classical style piano part. The rhythm section kicks in near the 2 minute mark. Olivia resumes singing around 2:30. Nice harmonies around 3:30. Then Bryan kicks in with a guitar solo (without a key change). Once again, his Gilmour influence is apparent. I like the walk down at around 4:45. Sound effects of an ocean storm follow. Rhythmic keys and sustained bass begin to emerge from the effects. At around 5:50 choir-like vocals begin singing staccato "doot doot doots" in harmony, and a siren sound effect follows. This song is very cinematic in its approach. String orchestra-like synth sounds join in at around 6:40. Then there is a sudden shift to the distorted guitar bass and drums taking over the staccato theme that the vocals had been doing with all of the sound effects gone. At 7:10 the band locks into a moderately fast groove, then angelic voices join in backed by synth. Olivia begins singing lyrics again before the 8 minute mark. It is quite dramatic around 8:50. They are singing about tsunamis here. At 10:17 everything except a piano playing low notes and hushed vocals drops out. A high pitched piano note joins in and by 10:35 we have a synth solo; the first on the album. The tsunami chorus returns at around 11 minutes. By 11:30, acoustic guitar and drums tale over, playing the rhythmic motif from earlier along with wind sound effects. Synth- strings join in creating a churning ocean effect. The band crashes back in around 12:10 with Bryan taking over on vocals. Choir-like vocals return, backing him up with "ahhs" as the music builds in intensity. There is a loud crash of thunder around 13:30 that brings us to another pause for wind and ocean sound effects. A moderately slow 6-8 rhythm on 12-string acoustic guitar, bass and drums takes over by the 14 minute point. The Joshes join in singing vocals in octaves. Just after 15 minutes the music gets HUGE with orchestration--nice! Layers are being added as the music proceeds. Just prior to 18 minutes Bryan plays lead over the top. Then at 18:18, the music suddenly stops. We return to the quiet piano from the introduction, with post-storm birds chirping as this wonderful epic reaches its conclusion. This is definitely the flagship song of the album. Superbly done!

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

A solid album indeed. I enjoyed every track. However, if you're looking for odd-meters and lots of twiddly-bits, this may not be the album for you. The closing epic title track is definitely great prog, and overall, while the music is well-arranged, well-written, and well-performed, some of the tracks are not what most people would call prog. And that's ok. I just want to be clear about it. If you want some good song oriented music that is played and sung by wonderful musicians, that's what we have here. I'll give it a 4 out of 5 stars, as it is very good, but I was only blown away on a few tracks, especially "If Only for a Day," "Future is a Child" and "Seawater."

Being a long time fan of Mostly autumn, I was somewhat dissatisfied with a couple of previous albums. Not that I found them bad, but I always thought "just a little something" is missing. Seawater sounds like a waking from a long hibernation, it delivers absolutely phenomenally and I find it a pleasure to listen to it at least 10 times in the last 3-4 days since I got it.

There are some moments to give you chills up the spine. I'm talking both attractive melodies and monumental arrangements. It seems like no idle moment is made in the 76+ minutes of music. Overall sound is one of the best ever since MA formed.

Old bear Brian is the most important soundmaker in the band and his delivery is the one why I started to love MA in the first place. And I dare to say that Olivia's singing in this album is the best since she joined the band.

This album is worthwhile being added to any serious contemporary prog rock collection. Mostly Autumn fans will find a joy of some of the best deliveries of the band ever.

Mostly Autumn: A Captivating Musical Journey

Mostly Autumn's latest opus confirms the band's place as one of the most important bands on the current progressive rock scene.

With this new album, the British band offers us a collection of rich and nuanced compositions that testify to their artistic evolution while remaining faithful to their roots. From the first notes, we recognize Mostly Autumn's distinctive sonic identity: captivating melodies carried by the extraordinary voice of Olivia Sparnenn-Josh, complex but accessible arrangements, and this unique ability to create atmospheres that evoke at times the misty moors of Yorkshire, at times cosmic landscapes.

The album is distinguished by its thematic coherence and musical diversity. The compositions alternate meditative passages and explosions of energy, with impressive technical mastery. Bryan Josh, guitarist and main composer, once again demonstrates his talent for creating memorable solos and catchy riffs, while leaving space for each musician to express themselves.

The lyrics, introspective and poetic, explore universal themes such as the passage of time, the connection to nature, and the search for meaning in a constantly changing world. This lyrical depth, combined with the richness of the arrangements, invites repeated listening to grasp all the subtleties.

What is also striking in this album is the perfect balance between tradition and innovation. We find the folk and classic rock influences that have forged the identity of the group, but also a desire to explore new sonic territories, notably through the judicious use of keyboards and orchestral sections.

Mostly Autumn proves with this new album that they remain a major creative force in contemporary progressive rock, capable of touching both aficionados of the genre and newcomers.

An ambitious and moving work that amply deserves the attention of lovers of demanding music.

{Note: this review was originally published in French, but all reviews are supposed to be in English and so I used google translate on the text -- Logan}

I just had a listen to this absolutely wonderful album. A truly fine addition to any prog rock collection, and especially any Mostly Autumn collection. The production values are topnotch Olivia's voice is immaculate. The music flows seamlessly from melodic passages to powerful rock.

I can't quite get my head around the fact that someone bothered to give this a 1-star rating without bothering to provide a reason for such a low score. I can't imagine what they didn't like about the album and why they didn't just simply refrain from rating it, in the first place. I couldn't find anything wrong with this album.

Seawater is an excellent album for any prog rock collection.

Review Nº 787

As many of we know, the Mostly Autumn's sound is very atmospheric with a combination of keyboards, guitars, bass, various forms of percussion, flutes and dreamy vocals provided by female vocals and Bryan Josh vocals. Their overall sound has always reminded me of Pink Floyd with a touch of folk. But they're much more than that. Much of what they do is very original and memorable. I discovered Mostly Autumn in 2003 through the DVD "Progressive Rock Anthology" by the Classic Rock Society with their track "Mother Nature" and I immediately was captivated with what they had to offer. Since then I have reviewed a lot of their work including lavishly presented DVD sets and high end CD's for optimal sound. And I can assure to all of you that we can always count on a great quality presentation from this great band.

"Pass The Clock" is a very special compilation album of Mostly Autumn. Somehow, it represents the end of an era of the band. It represents the end of the era of Mostly Autumn with their first singer and founding member Heather Findlay who had left the band to pursue a solo career. "Pass The Clock" is a compilation album that covers the entire career of Mostly Autumn since the beginning of it to that moment. That can be seen in the front cover of the album, between 1998 and 2008. So, "Pass The Clock" is a compilation album very well representative of the career of Mostly Autumn with tracks chosen from all their eight studio albums released to that moment, "For All We Shared", "The Spirit Of Autumn Past", "The Last Bright Light", "Music Inspired By The Lord Of The Rings", "Passengers", "Storms Over Still Water", "Heart Full Of Sky" and "Glass Shadows", plus a track originally released on their EP "Spirits Of Christmas Past".

"Pass The Clock" is a compilation album with thirty-five tracks. So, from their debut studio album "For All We Shared" that was released in 1999 we have four tracks, "Boundless Ocean", "Steal Away", "Night Sky" and "Heroes Never Die". From their second studio album "The Spirit Of Autumn Past" that was also released in 1999 we have also four tracks, "Evergreen", "Shindig", "Blakey Ridge/When Waters Meet" and "The Gap Is Too Wide". From their third studio album "The Last Bright Light" that was released in 2001 we have six tracks, "Prints In The Stone", "The Eyes Of The Forest", "Which Wood?", "Shrinking Violet", "Half The Mountain" and "Hollow". From their fourth studio album "Music Inspired By The Lord Of The Rings" that was also released in 2001 we have three tracks, "At Last To Rivendell", "On The Wings Of Gwaihir" and "Goodbye Alone". From their fifth studio album "Passengers" that was released in 2003 we have seven tracks, "Pure White Light", "Distant Train", "Answer The Question", "Pass The Clock", "Simple Ways", "Bitterness Burnt" and "Passengers". From their sixth studio album "Storms Over Still Water" that was released in 2005 we have three tracks, "Ghost In Dreamland", "Storms Over Still Water" and "Carpe Diem". From their seventh studio album "Heart Full Of Sky" that was released in 2006 we have three tracks, "Fading Colours", "Silver Glass" and "Yellow Time". However, "Yellow Time" is a track that only appears in the special edition of the album with two CD's. From their eighth studio album "Glass Shadows" that was released in 2008 we have four tracks, "The Second Hand", "Paper Angels", "Tearing At The Faerytale" and "Glass Shadows". "Pass The Clock" has also another track that was never released on any of their studio albums, "Winter Is King". It was originally released on their EP "Spirits Of Christmas Past" in 2005.

Mostly Autumn's approach to this anthology was to produce three CD's which are self-standing in terms of music synergy. So, "Something For The Spirit" has the most up-tempo compositions, "Something For The Campfire" contains the folk and folk-rock numbers and "Something For The Candlelight" has the slow tempo and peaceful sound of the band. And this was a good strategy. Each of the individual CD's has a pleasing self-consistency. It's true that "Pass The Clock" doesn't contains any new songs as is usual on many other compilation albums. But this compilation album has an interesting thing. All these tracks were remastered versions, and in my opinion, aren't bad at all. Of course the song selections for anthologies always cause debate. But it's fair to say that many of their great classics were included here.

Conclusion: I've no doubt in say that "Pass The Clock" is an excellent compilation album made in a very professional way. It seems like it could be an extreme compilation with 3 CD's with 35 tracks and with more than 2 and a half hours. However, that is far from the case. If you are a solid great band like Mostly Autumn is, it's not difficult to select tracks over ten years period. The difficulty lies in choosing which tracks to include in such a comprehensive set. But, the final results are excellent where some of their best and most beloved tracks by their fans were included. "Pass The Clock" has an outstanding collection of tracks where the individual tracks fit perfectly well in the titles of the three CD's. Besides, the packing is top notch featuring a high quality cardboard three piece gatefold CD holder with liner notes and the necessary thanks to the important supporters of the band. This is a great compilation of an underrated prog band.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

Review Nº 783

"Live At The Grand Opera House" is the third DVD of Mostly Autumn that was released in 2003. It was recorded at the Grand Opera House in York, England. It represents the return of the band to their home town. The Grand Opera House in York is unspectacular on the outside, but inside of it we can see that it's a very lovely place. With a capacity for 1000 people, it's spacious enough, yet it's also intimate. So, the Grand Opera House is a perfect place for Mostly Autumn.

"Live At The Grand Opera House" was released in three different versions. It was released in 2003 a DVD version with twelve tracks, which is the version that I have. It was released in the same year another DVD version, a limited edition, with nineteen tracks. It was also released in 2004 a CD version, a smaller version with only ten tracks, which I also own.

The line up on "Live At The Grand Opera House" is Bryan Josh (vocals, lead electric guitars, 6 and 12 string acoustic guitars and E-bow), Heather Findlay (vocals, 6 and 12 string acoustic guitars, bodhran and tambourine), Ian Jennings (vocals, keyboards and Hammond organ), Liam Davison (vocals, 6 and 12 string acoustic guitars, electric and slide guitars), Angela Goldthorpe (flute and whistles), Andy Smith (bass guitar) and Jonathan Blackmore (drums). However, this live concert had also the participation of Troy Donockley (Uilleann pipes and electric guitar), of the choir of the members of The Micklegate Singers and the "Synthesis" String Quartet, all as guest musicians.

So, my DVD version of "Live At The Grand Opera House" has twelve tracks. The first track "Caught In A Fold" was originally released on "Passengers". The second track "The Dark Before The Dawn" was originally released on "The Last Light Bright". The third track "Answer The Question" was originally released on "Passengers". The fourth track "Goodbye Alone" was originally released on "Music Inspired By The Lord Of The Rings". The fifth track "Passengers" was originally released on "Passengers". The sixth track "Distant Train" was also originally released on "Passengers". The seventh track "The Gap Is Too Wide" was originally released on "The Spirit Of Autumn Past". The eighth track "Bitterness Burnt" was originally released on "Passengers". The ninth track "Never The Rainbow" was originally released on "The Last Bright Light". The tenth track "Smoke On The Water" is a cover of a song originally released by Deep Purple on "Machine Head". The eleventh track "Comfortably Numb" is a cover of a song originally released by Pink Floyd on "The Wall". The twelfth track "Pass The Clock" was originally released on "Passengers".

So, and unfortunately, my DVD version has less seven tracks that the limited edition released by the band has. Those seven tracks are: "Nowhere To Hide (Close My Eyes)", "Heroes Never Die", "Evergreen", "Winter Mountain", "The Spirit Of Autumn Past (Part 2)", "Overture ? The Forge Of Sauron" and "Greenwood The Great (Shadow Glades)".

As soon as the DVD begins, we all knew that we were in a presence of a great live musical experience. A large projected video displays flashed familiar images based on the Tolkien's book "The Lord Of The Rings" when we heard the song "Goodbye Alone". Throughout the concert, the video projections, which are all very well done, continue with images from nature and space that we can see when we heard the song "Passengers". At one point we can also see images from Fritz Lang's film "Metropolis" when we heard their song "Distant Train". The projections always complimented the music and never detracted from it. In addition to the regular band, a string quartet, playing behind a transparent screen, were on stage, sometimes playing as a unit, sometimes as individual musicians. This is a DVD with a fine selection of tracks up to "Passengers" album. It has also two excellent covers of the Deep Purple's "Smoke On The Water" and Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb", in front of an appreciative hometown audience very enthusiastic. This DVD gives a good feeling of what the band are when live. I think this is the closest you'll ever get to seeing them live without being there.

Conclusion: As I mentioned above and when I reviewed the CD version of "Live At The Grand Opera House", I had the privilege to see a partial view of the show because I own a copy of the regular DVD version. And when I say, a partial view, which precisely means that unfortunately, I don't own the special limited edition with the nineteen tracks. Anyway, and despite of that, I must confess that it was a real pleasure for me to can see it. What we can hear and see on this DVD is about 78 or 130 minutes, as you have the regular or the special edition of the concert. Here we have astonishing and emotional music from a great band at the peak of their musical power. The light show was fantastic and gave the performance a depth and intensity that also visually engaged the audience. I always was a great fan of Mostly Autumn. As a conclusion, my verdict is that all Mostly Autumn's fans should have this DVD, or at least purchase the CD version.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

Review Nº 770

Mostly Autumn, as its name indicates, is a name that conjures the images of an October sky, and this is precisely the month when I'm writing this review, with leaves on the ground, trees preparing to sleep trough the coming season change and shortened days. This is a season sometimes with shining moments, others with raining moments and we have also sometimes storms over us. In the fall we enter to a twilight realm in which a kind of a mystical unfolding is taking place. Alike, the music of Mostly Autumn evokes all these natural diverse qualities. They've been bringing their mysterious music to us for many years now, treading the boundaries of folk, rock, prog and Celtic music, conjuring the ghosts of a past that's still subtly hanging on to the present. We have walked in their meadows, slept by the rivers, climbed mountains, strolled through valleys and journeyed to the Middle Earth. They created a very own music world.

I have always felt a very special soft spot for Mostly Autumn but unfortunately I've never had the chance to see them live. However, if their live concerts are anything like these live releases, then I have to say that I've lost too much. Certainly, their studio albums have revealed a band of growing talent and vocal prowess, but listening their music live is a very different thing. Hearing their music live for the first time, and this was my case with this live album, it opened up to me an amazing vista of hidden treasures that I didn't recognize in their studio material. Their music sparks as if something wild has been set free and, in a certain way, it has something special when performed live. I wrote all these before about this live album, because "Storms Over London Town" was my real first contact with Mostly Autumn live.

"Storms Over London Town" is the eighth live album of Mostly Autumn and was released in 2006. It was recorded from a live concert made by Mostly Autumn at the London Astoria on Saturday 4th June 2005. This live concert was played to celebrate the launch of their sixth studio album "Storms Over Still Water", an album that was released in the same year.

The line up on "Storms Over London Town" is Heather Findlay (lead vocals and tambourine), Angela Gordon (vocals, flute, keyboards and tambourine), Bryan Josh (lead vocals and lead and rhythm guitars), Liam Davison (vocals and electric, acoustic and slide guitars), Iain Jennings (keyboards), Andy Smith (bass guitar) and Andrew Jennings (drums). "Storms Over London Town" had also the participation of Ben Matthews (lead and rhythm guitars), Troy Donockley (low whistles and Uilleann pipes) and Olivia Sparnenn and Rachel Jones (vocals and backing vocals).

"Storms Over London Town" has eleven tracks. The first track "Out Of The Green Sky" was released on "Storms Over Still Water", the second track "Broken Glass" was released on "Storms Over Still Water", the third track "Answer The Question" was released on "Passengers", the fourth track "Black Rain" was released on "Storms Over Still Water", the fifth track "Never The Rainbow" was released on "The Last Bright Light", the sixth track "Distant Train" was released on "Passengers", the seventh track "Evergreen" was released on "The Spirit Of Autumn Past", the eighth track "Carpe Diem" was released on "Storms Over Still Water", the ninth track "Finlandia" is, from what I know, an unreleased studio track by Mostly Autumn. The tenth track "Storms Over Still Water" was released on "Storms Over Still Water" and the eleventh track "The Spirit Of Autumn Past ? (Part 1)" was released on "The Spirit Of Autumn Past".

"Storms Over London Town" is a great live gig in an unforgettable night. The first two songs are played in a very fast tempo. The up-beat tempo of those two songs continues with "Answer The Question" and the other two next songs. Ben Matthews brings "Black Rain" to a higher level with his tasty guitar playing. And with the excellent vocals of Olivia Sparnenn and a nice guitar solo at the end of "Never The Rainbow" became really worthy to be listened again. With the great instrumental track "Distant Train" the live gig turns into the more symphonic side with great keyboard riff and the unmistakeable guitar solo of Bryan. "Carpe Diem" and "Storms Over Still Water", with the lovely voice of Rachel Jones, are another two classical highlights. The show ends with "The Spirit Of Autumn Past ? (Part 1)" one of their best pieces.

Conclusion: "Storms Over London Town" is an excellent live album of Mostly Autumn that represents perfectly well their excellent studio album "Storms Over Still Water". As I wrote above, this was the album that represents my first live experience with the group, beyond the view of their excellent track "Mother Nature" on the DVD "Progressive Rock Anthology", a DVD with a collection of ten progressive live concert clips from several progressive bands and artists, already reviewed by me on this site. That clip represents also my first contact with Mostly Autumn's music. Despite be far from being one of the best live albums from the band, I recommend "Storms Over London Town" to everyone who likes melodic and accessible progressive rock with a touch of Pink Floyd's style. So, and as a conclusion, this is a nice live album, especially for all their fans, because there aren't enough typical titles from the older albums from the band.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

Review Nº 722

"Still Beautiful ? Live 2011" is the twelfth live album of Mostly Autumn and was released in 2011. This is a live album recorded and released with songs taken from their live tour to promote their last studio album, at the time, "Go Well Diamond Heart", which was released one year before, in 2010. Somehow, "Still Beautiful ? Live 2011" became a very special live album to Mostly Autumn an all their fans because it represents the first time that a live album from the band features Olivia Sparnenn, previously the backing vocalist, as the lead vocalist of the band, taking over the duties and position vacated by their previous vocalist Heather Findlay, who left Mostly Autumn to pursue a solo musical career.

So, the line up on "Still Beautiful ? Live 2011" is Olivia Sparnenn (lead vocals and tambourine), Anne-Marie Helder (backing vocals, flutes, keyboards and acoustic guitars), Bryan Josh (lead vocals, lead and backing guitars and acoustic guitars), Liam Davison (backing vocals electric and acoustic guitars), Iain Jennings (keyboards, piano and Hammond organ), Andy Smith (bass guitars) and Gavin Griffiths (drums).

"Still Beautiful ? Live 2011" has nineteen tracks. The first track "Hold The Sun" was released on "Go Well Diamond Heart". The second track "Deep In Borrowdale" was released on "Go Well Diamond Heart". The third track "Something Better" was released on "Go Well Diamond Heart". The fourth track "Forever Young" was released on "Go Well Diamond Heart". The fifth track "Ice" was released on "Go Well Diamond Heart". The sixth track "The Dark Before The Dawn" was released on "The Last Bright Light". The seventh track "The Last Climb" was released on "For All We Shared". The eighth track "Questioning Eyes" wasn't originally released by Mostly Autumn but by Breathing Space. The ninth track "Heroes Never Die" was released on "For All We Shared". The tenth track "Distant Train" was released on "Passengers". The eleventh track "Answer The Question" was released on "Passengers". The twelfth track "Caught In A Fold" was released on "Passengers". The thirteenth track "Nowhere To Hide (Close My Eyes)" was released on "For All We Shared". The fourteenth track "Go Well Diamond Heart" was released on "Go Well Diamond Heart". The fifteenth track "Passengers" was released on "Passengers". The sixteenth track "First Thought" was released on "Passengers". The seventeenth track "For All We Shared" was released on "Go Well Diamond Heart". The eighteenth track "Evergreen" was released on "The Spirit Of Autumn Past". The nineteenth track "And When The War Is Over?" was released on "Go Well Diamond Heart".

CD one opens predictably with five tracks from "Go Well Diamond Heart", their most recent work at the time. There are eight songs from that album. That isn't strange due to "Still Beautiful ? Live 2011" was based on recordings from the live tour of "Go Well Diamond Heart". All those songs were performed great because in a live context they sound better. That was nice because I'm not a great fan of that album. Following the domination of "Go Well Diamond Heart", the next track "The Dark Before The Dawn" get up the quality flag of the album soon followed by "The Last Climb" another great track of the band of their beginning. The superb "Questioning Eyes" brings the first half of the livr set to a rousing conclusion. Opening the CD two is "Heroes Never Die" that gets the extended treatment thanks to a blistering solo from Josh. Disc two is, however, weighted firmly in favour of "Passengers". So, we have the excellent instrumental "Distant Train" followed by the rocking "Answer The Question" and the blues rocker "Caught In A Fold". All this represented another great moment on the set. With "Nowhere To Hide (Close My Eyes)" they returned to the great days of their starting. The title track of "Go Well Diamond Heart" is one of the most interesting songs on that album with a great wall of sound. With the title track and "First Thought" they returned to "Passengers" with another two nice tracks. "For All We Shared" shorn of the symphonic introduction is a vulgar track but "Evergreen" is a poignant reminder of the good old days. The dramatic "And When The War Is Over..." takes the final honours sounding suitably as an anthemic track.

Conclusion: It seems that Mostly Autumn have a live album for almost all studio albums and even for almost every occasion. "That Night In Leamington", also released in the same year, bid a fond farewell to Heather Findlay whilst "Still Beautiful ? Live 2011" introduces to the front Olivia Sparnenn that proved to be a more than adequate replacement. As happened with their previous three live albums "Live 2009 ? Part I and Part II" and "That Night In Leamington", the second CD is better than the first. Still, I think "Still Beautiful ? Live 2011" is a step bellow of those albums. However, "Still Beautiful ? Live 2011" is a fine live album. It reminds me why bands like Mostly Autumn must release live albums. It confirms that Mostly Autumn remains a great live band with or without Heather Findlay. So, "Still Beautiful ? Live 2011" is a fine introduction to the band. The band is in a great shape with a Josh guitar work particularly impressing.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)