VISIONS

3.5 stars. This is a collection of songs this band has done over the previous twenty years. Yet there is a surprising unity in this record. The band says "Each song represents a musical vision of an image, a moment or a situation".

There is the "Altenburg Suite" consisting of songs 8-13, which is a Symphonic vision of one of Germany's old castles. There are also two trilogies. "Whales", "Trinidad Island" and "Ocean" make up one, the other is "Autumn", "November" and "Woods". This is primarily an instrumental album save for two tracks. And one of them "A Bright New Day" really sounds like the MOODY BLUES to me. One of the guys plays a synth guitar which sounds pretty cool on "Trinidad Island" and "November". There are some orchesteral movements and some sampling (like birds and children playing) on this record, as well as some amazing piano and organ on "The Lake".

What I find interesting and rewarding, is listening to this album with the title of the song in mind, and trying to imagine what you hear.