GATHERING THE WATERS

Compared to their debut, published two years before, this is a great leap forward concerning songwriting and implementation. Okay, it sounds familiar somehow often enough, in the vein of Big Big Train, Spock's Beard, Anubis, Karmakanic among many others. However, with Michael Whiteman as the main initiator on board, 'Gathering The Waters' marks a 2017 album highlight for sure, this mainly due to its excellent compositions which are going right through me. It looks like, if ever, there is only a loose concept behind that album. So for example they are once picking up the Milgram Experiment taking place in the 1960's. And some songs, supported by samples, obviously are dealing with life at the seaside also - including strand atmosphere, fishing for crabs, lifeboatmen and so on.

When listening one will really sense that the recording sessions were pervaded by a very inspired atmosphere. Hereby especially the partially polyphonic vocal arrangements are top notch. 'Keep your helmets on' ... The Man With Many Faces at first comes as a warning against the 'prince of misrule', probably designed as a reference to real life experiences in these days. For me here are also some relatively tiny issues kept in memory, for example while Whiteman is singing 'or will they shock!' the guitar simultaneously gives us the creeps, fantastic! During the extended Stand Up a distinct jazz tinged Steely Dan flair strikes, and later some mellotron appears too, wonderful! A homogeneous standout album, no need to highlight any particular song actually, nearly on the same level with Big Big Train's masterpiece The Underfall Yard. 4.5 stars well deserved.