MIDNIGHT MUSHRUMPS

I have listened for the first time this album 15 years after the other Gryphon's records : let me tell you that I had great expectations. I am however a bit disappointed: this record is a bit like "The lamb lies down on Broadway": an "only" very good album made between two outstanding ones.

This is a very acoustic Baroque-medieval progressive record. Gryphon have their unique sound mainly because of the wonderful mix of percussions and wind instruments (krumhorns and bassoon). The keyboards (mainly organ, piano, harpsichord, and harmonium I think) are not too much in the foreground so that the acoustic parts can really be appreciated. It definitely sounds like "Red Queen to Gryphon Three", but the compositions here are a bit less complex and loaded. The eponymous track nearly lasts 20 minutes: it starts very well, but there are moments that seem to lack inspiration, even sounding a bit experimental. The other side contains beautiful & short tracks, sounding very acoustic.