THE UNCERTAINTY PRINCIPLE

What?!! A Canterbury style album from a new group--their debut!--in 1999. What's more: It's really good! Great keyboards and fuzzy guitars withs some awesome horn work as well ("Midnight Clear" [5:04]). Though less psychedelic than many releases from the peak era of Canterbury Scene, and perhaps a little tamer, more laid back and melodic than others (though there are plenty of surprisingly abrasive King Crimson-like sounds and burst of music as well), this is truly first rate, top notch Canterbury style instrumental jazz music! Check out the acoustic and electric guitar work in "One Minute of Thought..." (3:50), or just let yourself fall into the grooves and dreamy lulls of "...In Two Seconds of Time..." (8:12)--whichever song you choose I guarantee you you're in for a surprisingly pleasant ride.

1. "Caught in a Combine" (4:34) a little KCrimson, SDan, and NatHealth. (8.5/10)

2. "Abcircus" (6:35) opens as funky jazz with a bit of a Weather Report flair before turning soft prog/Canterbury in the third minute. Nice Minimoog and electric guitar sounds & soli. Finishes with an abrasive Crimsonian thrust. (9.25/10)

3. "Blitz" (8:47) Mellotron with jazzy combo makes it feel like Belgian Canterbury band COS. In the second minute it all changes with the arrival of Dave Stewart-like Fender Rhodes and -Phil Miller-like guitar. Another shift in the third minute showcases the drummer (as does much of the song). The song with its multiple themes and parts certainly is all over the place! (18/20)

4. "One Minute Of Thought.." (3:50) a very jazzy, acoustic guitar-dominated song. Very fine almost Pat Metheny-esque guitar play. Also nice Fender Rhodes and lead electric guitar play in the second half. (9/10)

5. "Midnight Clear" (5:04) Sax on display! Incredibly melodic, like a jazz standard of old. (9.25/10)

6. "...in Two Seconds Of Time..." (8:12) echoed solo electric guitar opens this one before drums, sax, and bass join in. Chorded scales are played around with for the first 90 seconds before a guitar-backed onslaught of keyboard soli take over. I like the flanged drums. And the subtle key and tempo changes in the mid-section as the lead guitar saws away (with the sax). The second half becomes more CAMEL- and PAT METHENY-ish. Something about this music also reminds me of the band YEZDA URFA. (13.5/15)

7. "Vespers" (7:21) Acoustic guitar and piano with cymbal play open this one in a very Pat Metheny/LYLE MAYS way--which it maintains for the entire song. Great Minimoog solo at the end.(13.25/15)

8. "... (Incomplete, Broken And Abstract)" (6:03) back to NatHealth "Borogroves"-like stuff--at least until the Latin rhythms and abrasive RFrippian guitars and saxes enter. Things slow down in the second half but the Fripp-like buzz-horn guitar continues to lead the way until the rather peaceful lull before the Crimsonian final 15 seconds. (8.5/10)

9. "Cropcircles" (4:29) bouncing Hammond and fuzzy Phil Miller-like guitar with Fender Rhodes and very Richard Sinclair-Pip Pyle rhythm section makes this seem all too familiar. Great sound, great performances; the band is very tight. Then it gets soft before bursting out in another abrasive, yet clean-sounding passage to take us to the Hammond soloing end. (9.25/10)

10. "Black And White" (6:34) some great musicianship on display on this one--though it is not quite as melodic or inviting as the others. The lead guitar is doing a great job offering his interpretation of the more aggressive side of guitarist Robert Fripp. This song could be from one of the HAPPY THE MAN albums. (9/10)

Total Time: 61:28

An album of very pleasant, creative, unusual compositions performed by some very fine musicians. They definitely delivered some great melodies that are now forever drilled into my brain.

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of Canterbury-inspired jazz-rock fusion.