THE SNOW GOOSE

What we have here is the three disc 2CD and Blu-ray version which has been released to coincide with the album's 50th anniversary and features the original album mix remastered by Ben Wiseman, along with 5.1 surround sound and stereo mixes by Stephen W Tayler and five bonus tracks drawn from rare singles and the album sessions and also includes an illustrated booklet with essay. The music, composed by Andrew Latimer and Peter Bardens, inspired by Paul Gallico's novella 'The Snow Goose', also features The London Symphony Orchestra with arrangements by David Bedford, and I find it difficult to believe there is any proghead who does not have this album in their collection. It is the album I have played more than any other ? according to LastFM the second most popular album in my collection is Anthony Phillips' 'Private Parts & Pieces X ? Soiree' at 980 songs played, but 'Music Inspired by the Snow Goose' is over 2,000. There is something about this instrumental album (there are a few wordless vocals only) which is mesmerising, with the band somehow conjuring images in my mind every time I listen to it. I have never read the novella as I am concerned it may impact my enjoyment on the album, but the band decided to record a concept album based on a book, with each of them bringing one in for discussion, and after a half-hearted attempt at Herman Hesse's 'Siddartha' (check out Outside In's 'Karmatrain' to uncover their wonderful use of that) they instead turned to this.

I can listen to this on repeat, and often have, while it is the perfect album to drift away to at night. I don't listen to it every week, but I am sure there are few months in the year when it does not hit my player at some point. I still much prefer the original to the 2013 re-recording, and to my jaded ears the remix doesn't really add a great deal, just means I get to press play and then can hear the album through twice with some bonus tracks in the middle, two of which are single versions of songs on the album. The combination of Bedford's orchestration, the layered guitars, banks of keyboards plus a highly sympathetic rhythm section means this is an album which I simply cannot get enough of. Compare this release to any of their others, like "Breathless", and it is almost like a totally different band yet Andy Latimer, Peter Bardens, and Andy Ward were on both. I find it indescribable, yet can say it is full of beauty which captures me each and every time I play it, and when I put it on it has to be played from the beginning to the end as anything else is sacrilege.

If, somehow, you have missed out on this truly magical experience then this expanded release is the time to resolve a huge musical oversight.

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