UNDER THE SUN

This is NUCLEUS' seventh studio album and my least favourite of those. Having said that I agree with the other three reviewers that this deserves 4 stars. Of NUCLEUS' first seven albums the Gnosis site only rates "Labyrinth" below this one. For the first time in NUCLEUS' history Ian Carr doesn't have Brian Smith to help him out here. Beck who guested on "Belladonna" and "Labyrinth" helps out on electric piano. Pitchen (guitar) and Sutton (bass) are back from the previous album "Roots". As the title suggests this album has a theme of the outdoors to it. I have to mention drummer Bryan Spring as well because he is outstanding on this record. Very impressive.This was his first studio album with NUCLEUS.

"In Procession" features crisp drumming as horns come in followed by keyboards. Amazing sound here. Great way to start the album. It ends with the sounds of a parade. "The Addison Trip" opens with drums followed by bass,horns and keys. This one's kind of funky. Check out the bass solo after 2 minutes as drums and percussion help out. It kicks back in to end it.

"Pastoral Graffiti" is just that, a mellow tune with flute and horns. Next up is "New Life", again i'm impressed with the drum work as horns blast away. Nimble bass work too. Guitar before 1 1/2 minutes. The drummer steals the show here though. A calm 3 1/2 minutes in then it slowly builds. Incredible sound here with the horns. "A Taste Of Sarsaparilla" is laid back with horns and keys. "Theme 1 : Sarsaparilla" is uptempo with lots of horns. A calm 2 minutes in is brief.The keyboards are excellent here. Horns and drums dominate later. "Theme 2 : Feast Alfresco" is slowed down but far from pastoral. Drums, bass, horns, keys and guitar all help out. "Theme 3 : Rites Of Man" is my favourite. Bass, keys and drums lead early and it's fairly dark. Horns join in. A drum show before 6 1/2 minutes to before 8 minutes.Then the band kicks in again.

Another excellent album from Carr and the boys.