1759

I have followed Red Sand devotedly since Mirror of Insanity burst wondrously onto the prog scene over a decade ago. They are a great band and have delivered a succession of memorable releases ever since. It was therefore with significant anticipation that I settled down to listen to 1759, which, on the strength of the ratings distribution, currently rates as the band's finest offering so far. Ouch! Not so, to these ears, I'm afraid. I found it disjointed, almost plodding, with very little to tap into the memory banks. I'm sure there's a worthy structure and purpose in it all, and a meaningful story to be told, but that's not why I listen to music: I like to be transported. Sadly, setting aside a quite phenomenal (and all-too-short) blazing guitar attack towards the end of My Mind, very little stirred me - I just couldn't work out where it was all coming from or heading. Without doubt Red Sand's most disappointing release to date, in my opinion.

Not everyone likes more of the same, otherwise there can be no progression. So I guess I'm just a stick-in-the-mud. So be it: my Red Sand mud is warm and comforting; 1759 isn't.