THE WINDOW OF LIFE

Ithink all can agree on the extrordinary level of music on this one. For me...I was just beginning my Prog journey...and my first efford to get more off the track and look more outside the box...My Genesis and Pink Floyd journeys were just ended and I just was about to begin with Yes, more Marillion and King Crimson. In the myst of this I came across this album....and right from the beginning I was totally blown away.

Right from the beginning of The Walls Of Babylon we know that we are on for a real thread, and its nothing short of that...there really is no filler on this album and song after song they take you into heaven...I think that over the years this album grew out as a strong contender of one of those albums you keep on playing and that you can never hear enough.

The Walls Of Babylon......what a song, what an opening and what a guitarwork. The song begins with the church organ that is soon accompanied by guitar....what results in something that clearly sounds like a homage to Floyds Shine On Your Crazy Diamond. When the drums and bass are kicking in....it just keeps getting better....once the song is on speed...what melody...and what a powerfull and tight playing....All of the 4 do shine here and do their part.

Ghosts is the only song, that in my opinion would would be one of the lesser better songs. However still very beautifull...right the start...with a really beautifull into of Nolan...that gets very powerfull after a while...and only then...I loose interest in the song a bit....as it its keep on hanging a bit and never really gets extremely good.

Unfortunatly Ghosts is the only lower point of the song...and alot is made up with Breaking The Spell...what a hell of a song....a song now extremely apreciated for the middlepart where Barrett really pulls out all stops ans shows once again, that he masters the Fender equally good to Rothery and Gilmour.....whjen it comes to playing touchy solo's...this guy knows how to deliver.......But also in that famous middlepart I must say that I really like Gee's basswork, and I think its one of those rare moments where you can really hear him playing really obviously....a song that on the next album will be repeated....to some's opinion better with Paintbox... The song builds up perfectly taking us a step higher and higher untill that moment comes when all the breaks are released and we get treated to an amazing solo.

The Last Man On Earth does not have a very happy theme...and is not a very happy song.....However it grew out to one of the band's livefavorites and is the only real epic on this album. Its a song with alot and alot of different paces, moods and rythms....I think one even better than the other......taking us into prog heaven...

The last 2 songs on this album 2 shorter pieces and are more poppy....and in a way quite simular to the EP that followed shortly after this release, Falled Dreams And Angels...Neither shorter or not. But once again some great guitarwork here......

With this...I can only say that its a album that extremely easy to recomend and certainly belongs in every serious prog collection. I think one of the hallmarks of Neo Progressive Rock.