LEAFFALL

Today's lesson is on musical alchemy and interbreeding, German style. Take the two progressive bands from that country both named FAUN and blend them together, then fold in the classic CAROL OF HARVEST disk from 1978 and a postdoc in Tolkien, gestate a few years longer than normal and "deliver" a mature litter of FAUNS in the form of their debut full length disk, "Leaffall".

The medieval group FAUN has imprinted its somewhat dark acoustic reverie here, and the moodily metallic blasts and jarring shifts recall the neo prog group (who nonetheless exuded almost as much folk personality as a neo group can) FAUN from the late 90s. The brilliant album closer "Cuiviénen" sounds better with every listen and meets the quality standards of the original tracks from CAROL of HARVEST. If you don't know any of these bands, let me just say that a couple of the more sprightly tracks owe much to what JETHRO TULL delivered on "Songs from the Wood", but the vocalists contribute to a fluidity that Mr Anderson knew enough not to attempt.

For all its alternating grunge attack and elfin musings, this is a cohesive work with an undercurrent of the otherworldly and underworldly coursing through it and bursting forth determinedly. A congenial companion for the Fall to come.