HORA NATA

This album is quite wonderful. I must admit I was a little dubious when I saw the cover, with the band dressed in ridiculous makeup and costume, but the music is superb. The arrangements are rich, colourful, and highly textured, with a nice variation of space and density. The band are very proficient musicians, but credit must go to guitarist John McO, who was once described as the most relaxed player in Belgium. His melodic lines are really languid and engaging, and I love the way he subtly alters his tones and effects during different parts of the longer tunes. Keyboardist Peter Torfs manages to stretch out occasionally with some very tasteful solos, especially on the organ. There are echoes of Focus and Camel here and there, but this album is so well played and composed that references tend to fade as you enjoy the overall music. The recording quality is also very clear and and warm, with fine engineering. The only let down was the newer tracks tacked onto the end of the album, recorded for their unreleased second album. These few tracks are more straightforward and unadventurous, with emphasis on lyrics and vocals, rather than progressive musical exploration. But buy this if you see it on import, because it's superb.