THE PINK MAN & THE BISHOP

I was worried that perhaps a Yeti (aka Abominable Snowman) had lunched on Yak , as it often does according to myth, but Martin Morgan has resurrected his Tibetan muse variant , much to our sonic delight. The YAK is back ! After a 10-year absence, the previous "Quest for the Stones" being quite a corker, we get new music from this gifted multi-instrumentalist. Six tracks+ 2 previously unreleased bonus ones , for a total of 54 minutes of tantalizing old school prog. Martin states in the liner notes "The music was produced and recorded by pressing keys on a range of keyboards in a rather peculiar and precise order"! Truth be told in that inimitable British manner, is just what you get.

The sumptuous title track is symphonic instrumental music of the highest order, as all the classic ingredients are staunchly in place, a smooth ambiance of lush synthesizers, organ flows, pungent keyboard bass and drum programming that does not comes across at all as rhythm boxes. Martin has the listener soaring with a cross- pollinating series of adventurous escapades that sets the foundational melodic content for the entire opus. Not surprisingly then, I segued my review with the next track, the self explanatory "Crimson Camel", which might not require pulling out Excalibur out of the stone and slicing up the gordian knot nor questioning the fumbling AI god to bless us with his wisdom. This is pure 100% unadulterated prog bombast that could easily have easily added a Genesis extension, as one particular melody does hint at a famous old school track . This is velvety satin bliss and assuredly a perennial prog radio show request. On the celestial "Heaven's Gate", Martin displays a more subtle edge, the swooning sounds come across as one floating on a cloud carpet of past jubilations. The forlorn piano, a chugging drum pattern and a guitar synth main melody are the main culprits, squeezing a vast array of emotive tangents without any hint of bluster or alacrity, a cottony vortex that reaches for the stars above. Its excruciatingly beautiful. The reverential "Long, Long Ago" exerts a more textural demonstration, the endless synthesizer flashes are occasionally bullied by some precise organ interventions as well as some judiciously placed e-piano. The scope is definitely less epic and yet highly sad with serene melodic aspirations that rekindle fond memories of prog's early days. An outro with solemn choir mellotron hits the spot as the vaporous reminiscences fade into the horizon.

Deflecting slightly from the more bucolic and pastoral sentiments expressed up to now, on "Maddox Street", we naturally get a more urban, I daresay cosmopolitan ambiance that espouses the hustle and bustle of city life, plenty of bombarding images and sounds, here now and then gone for ever. There is an exhilarating pace without any senseless excess, underscoring a keen sense of fun as opposed to showing off technique. The rollicking continues on "The Best Years", as if in concert in a pub , with a strong party, rock' n roll, funky blues organ running rampant all over the place and a popping bass adornment. Here the onus is on nostalgia, as the past definitely can be the cradle of the best years of our lives, a kaleidoscope of smiles, laughter and enjoyment. Imagine a proggy Booker T and the MGs or a rockier vocal-less Oblivion Express for the musicologist out there!

Two bonus tracks , first "Aragorn" which was set aside from the debut 2024 album , thus featuring then collaborators Dave Speight on drums and bassist Gary Bennett, a robustly rearranged and extended workout that cannot fail to impress, with its attractive symphonics . The nearly 10 minute "Flight of the Noldor" is a mini-epic that was never previously released, presumably kept for just the right opportunity, such as finishing off this magnificent opus on the highest note possible. The piano makes a gracious appearance, setting the controls to the heart of the adventure, as Martin shows off not only subtle restraint but keeps the variations unexpected, some flute patch sections that fall close to where the Ghost and Geese may play, a countryside fair perhaps, where all are dressed in rural garb. The cover art of a parish parson wielding his cricket bat completes the image completely. The organ playing is straight out of the timeless British school (Banks, Greenslade, Wakeman, Jobson, Bardens, Wright etc..). This is real natural music, spontaneous ,unpretentious, no glossy uber-production that may sterilize the sound and devoid of any cliché.

My personal affection for Yak is that uncanny ability of being just as enjoyable hearing music as listening music, background or intensive analysis both yield the same amount of satisfaction, and for more technical moments, let me assure you that Martin Morgan can play with the very best ivory "pressers' out there. Some naysayers will perhaps find this music style dated but my feeling remains that what was done yesterday is already passé by the time the sun rises the next day. I thoroughly enjoyed this retro mood and look very much forward to the Yak coming back, again in the future.

5 rosé prelates .

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