HOME + NEW YORK SUITE

I had to post this review now as it had a certain poignancy in terms of the tale it tells. Recently, a close member of the family emigrated to the USA and as I am currently working in the city of Liverpool, it just seemed appropriate. The reason? Well, it tells the story of a girl who, leaves her home in Liverpool to emigrate to New York.

The album was originally written as a single CD. But, according to their website, on listening to it Rob Reed, the prime mover behind Magenta, decided that it wasn't progressive enough. He therefore wrote some more songs and ended up with a double album. However, listening to the double album version he began to get concerns that no one would listen to it in a single play. Therefore he edited back the album back to a single CD and put most of the music regarding the girl's time in New York on a separate CD. Hence was born the 'New York Suite'.

For this review I will take the original double CD running order switching from Home to New York Suite and back.

This Life is a beautiful opener consisting of piano and voice. Christina voice is simply fabulous and the this works so well as an opening track. It sets the scene of the troubled girl who "no one understands".

Hurt brings in the full band. I particularly liked the guitar on this track and just hints of Pink Floyd around Dark Side of the Moon period. Not the strongest track on the album but still enjoyable.

Moving On is another track which starts with piano and voice. Rob Reed has indicated that he wanted it to have an early Elton John feel. I'm not sure he succeeded in this, but it is very good. More great guitar work. After the initial "Elton" bit it switches to a piece which is very reminiscent of Pink Floyd's Money, made particularly so by the use of tenor sax played soon after words regarding making money. I can see this might be seen as close to plagiarism but it works well and is, to my mind, done well.

My Home Town (Far Away) starts with voice over keyboards and is another pleasant track. Half way through, the track has a superb mandolin/electric guitar section which is so very Mike Oldfield (Hergest Ridge style) - fabulous!

Brave New Land is a short piece that marks the girl leaving for her journey to the USA.

The Journey Musically this song is strongly influenced by Genesis somewhere between 'Foxtrot' and 'Trick of the Tail'. Vocally, though, it is very different with lots of harmonies for the vocals. Then about two thirds of the way through it changes with bass and guitars sounding more Yes-influenced.

Towers of Hope is to me one of the strongest songs on the album. Christina's voice is on top form, the use of string, everything. The lyrics tell of the feelings of hope on arrival in New York. A superbly crafted piece - I just love it.

At this point, to follow the double album you need to stop Home and switch to New York Suite

Arrival Another Genesis inspired start, this time with a clear "The Knife" influenced section about 1:30 in. Lots of harmonised vocals and more Genesis-like keyboards and at about 8:20 through some very Yes/Steve Howe-like guitar work, (and is that a Marillion-like sound for a few moments?) and with a very Steve Howe ending. The first really long track clocking in at almost 11 minutes.

Home From Home Starts with a very Marillion-like guitar and keyboards. It perhaps loses its way a bit during its 8 minutes, with a number of dramatic strings sounding like they are reaching the end of the song. However, the section on how the girl lies about her past in order to fit in onto the end is excellent.

White Lies starts with an intro sounding like Pink Floyd's "Keep Talking". In several parts of the track there is also a guitar sequence running underneath which sounds very Mike Oldfield. The track closes with a great guitar solo. The song tells the start of her fall, with the money running out, the girl descends into drink, drugs - memories of the past return. Probably the best track on the New York Suite CD.

At this point you need to put the Home CD back on for one track

Demons starts with a long and extended intro using twin guitars. It all sounds very early-solo Steve Hackett. Then it switches into a guitar solo which is clearly Dave Gilmour inspired, and excellent it is too. Then in come the slightly processed vocals, extraordinarily effective, followed by another great guitar solo played by Chris Fry. The song tells of the girl's vision of her father in her dreams. Arguably the best track on the whole double album.

and back to New York Suite

Truth Although, pleasant enough, not the strongest of tracks feeling like a few short pieces joined together. There's a bit that sound a bit Genesis, a bit that sounds very Yes-like, a bit that sounds like it fell out of Pink Floyd's Animals (the latter being very good). The lyrics indicate that the girl is in a car accident. As she recovers in hospital she decides she must change and once again set off and leave New York.

This Life (Reprise) was not part of the original double CD, but added to New York Suite to make it complete and it's, err, a reprise of This Life. The lyrics are appropriate to that point in the story though.

Back to the Home CD

Morning Sunlight starts with a acoustic guitar strummed with vocals over. The rest of the band comes in, led by the bass. Short but sweet song.

Joe is the longest track on the album tells of the girl meeting Joe, a native American mystic. I particularly liked the backing vocals at the start. Around 4 minutes in it becomes very Yes-like. The track contains two good guitar solos.

A Dream This is another beautiful short song which showcases Christina's talent well. It immediately segues into..

The Visionary which contains sections that are appropriately similar to Steve Hackett's Voyage of the Acolyte. The electric guitar work towards the end of this track is good and Christina does, an apparently spontaneous, Kate Bush high note.

Journey's End At this point the girl realises that it is time to return to Liverpool. The first three minutes are particularly fine with Christina over electric piano and with an exquisite guitar solo from guest musician Hywel Maggs.

The Traveller's Lament is the only instrumental on the album. Very Celtic in flavour, opening with Uilleann Pipes played by another guest musician, Troy Donockley. Lovely

Home is really a reprise of Towers of Hope with altered lyrics. For me, walking past the Liver Building in Liverpool seeing the "wings in flight" on top of the towers, the return of the girl home is both emotional and uplifting. The pipes play again, another great guitar solo, music full of drama and then a simple piano plays us out. Fabulous.

So there we are, twenty marvellous tracks making a really enjoyable listen. The musicianship is exemplary and Christina makes a fabulous vocalist. It is perhaps too easy to play "spot the influence" and there are a couple of points where the attention can wander, but in the end a worthwhile addition to any prog-lover's collection, so a definite four stars - even if you spend the time listening to the full double CD!

Regards, Rob