HATFIELD AND THE NORTH

I've never been the biggest Canterbury fan, altough I do have a smattering of Camel, Caravan and the like in my collection. I've always found the meandering melodies and all-too-British lyrics not to my taste. But for Hatfield And The North, I make an exception. This album transcends the above mentioned traits with a jazzy feel and clever compositions. The only drawback to me is Richard Sinclair's thin and mostly too light vocals.

Many of the songs blend together, giving it an epic feeling, and sometimes making it difficult to tell when one song ends and the next one begins. But it all flows so well that it doesn't matter. Keyboardist Dave Stewart to me is the key to this album's success. His complex playing drives the music better than in any other group I have heard him.

A truly great addition to any collection.