THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY

I first heard Témpano on the 2005 COLOSSUS/MUSEA RECORDS project, Odyssey: The Greatest Tale. They were great there. So, I went on an exploratory search for more Témpano. The stuff I found was okay. I've never been a fan of electric 'acoustic' guitars, gated drums, and the kind of keyboards they use throughout The Agony and the Ecstacy, and much of their music sounds simple upon first listening. Luckily, I did not give up there. Each successive listening has revealed more of the group's mastery of the "Less is More" principle--and also revealed more subtleties and nuances that are usually the signs of a more band made up of more mature members. This is, so far, my favorite Témpano studio album. A lot of PINK FLOYD similarities--especially the guitar work (both acoustic and electric).

Album highlights: 6. "Timeless Time" (9/10) and 14. "Imaginary Sky" (8/10).