RED QUEEN TO GRYPHON THREE

3.5 stars. I have a real love / hate relationship with this album. Not being a fan of Folk or Classical music doesn't help when it comes to this record, and most of the flute led passages make me cringe. Having said that, the symphonic passages are excellent to say the least. I love the complexity and the way the instruments are arranged in the songs for the most part. Lets just say if this was Jazz flavoured like MOVING GELATINE PLATES or dark like UNIVERS ZERO my opinion would be much different. A matter of taste I suppose. There are two passages in each of the four songs that I wish wouldn't stop, but there are one or two passages in each song that I wish hadn't started except for in the song "Lament". Oh, and it has a chess theme. I hate chess. Surprised ? I didn't think so.

"Opening Move" is very impressive for the first minute with all the different sounds and the symphonic flavour. The piano that follows is excellent. The flute led passage with bassoon 4 minutes in I do not like at all. A fuller sound 7 1/2 minutes in. Overall a good opening track. "Second Spasm" is led by the flute (cringe) to begin with. Then we get a nice heavy sound a minute in. Some weird sounds honk then we get the krumhorn. Marching style drums follow. Classical keys 5 1/2 minutes in. The earlier heavier sound is back 7 1/2 minutes in. This is my least favourite song.

"Lament" opens with strummed guitar, bassoon and flute. Terrific sound. It changes 3 minutes in to a darker mood. Another change 5 1/2 minutes in to an uptempo horn led passage. The intro melody is back 7 1/2 minutes in. Nice. "Checkmate" is fantastic for the first two minutes then that flute leads the way. Bassoon with piano 4 1/2 minutes in as marching style drums come in before 6 minutes unfortunately. Piano takes over briefly. Very good section from 7 minutes to after 8 minutes. Flute is back 8 1/2 minutes in. Yikes.

A very highly rated album that wouldn't make my top 500. By the way i've played this to death lately thinking something would click, but as I said in the intro there are certain styles of music that I have difficulty enjoying, including this one.