ANCESTORS' TALE

What an enjoyable album this turned out to be. very much in the Avant camp with guest female vocals from Cheyenne Mize who also plays violin on several tracks. Bring her in full time, please! She actually reminds me of the great Emily Hay. Two former FRENCH TV members(Steve & Steve) are part of this band, on keyboards and clarinet respectively. We get plenty of bassoon and even some didgeridoo. I was really surprised to hear mellotron on this album as you don't usually hear that in this style of music.

"Ancestors' Tale" is my favourite. Vocal melodies rise then the horns and drums take over honking and beating before the vocals kick in along with flute. Beautiful stuff. This is such a relaxing and inviting tune and we get mellotron that comes and goes as well. A gorgeous piece. "The Departure" is one minute of growly bassoon and intricate drum work. "Hopperknockity" is a tribute to Hugh Hopper and it's an instrumental. Horns and drums lead the way to start then it settles back before kicking back in. Mellotron comes and goes and I have to say the interplay on this one is stunning. Hugh would be proud. "Selves Unmade" features vocals, clarinet and drums standing out early on then it settles as she speaks some words. Themes are repeated and there's a nice horn solo 2 1/2 minutes in. The vocals return then it all settles right down and becomes avant-garde before the vocals come back to end it.

"The Raw, The Crooked and The Overeasy" has a full sound a minute in followed by vocals. A calm before 3 minutes as a beautiful instrumental soundscape takes over. "An Elephant In Berlin" is led by drums, piano and bass clarinet(I think) as the soundscape shifts and changes slightly throughout. A dark calm arrives before 5 minutes as the contra-bassoon growls and the piano tinkles. It all kicks back in at 7 1/2 minutes. "Dinosaur On The Floor" is humerous with the contra-bassoon honking away. Vocals arrive before 2 minutes. "The Grotesque Pageantry Of Fading Empires" is a slow paced song where the guitar eventually cries out for over a minute before the pace picks up. I like this one. "Zodiac" and "Walk The Plank" both have a chamber music vibe to them and both are melancholic.

Without question one of the highlights for me as far as 2014 albums go. It's melodic yet very interesting throughout. Lots to like here and easily 4 stars.