FANATIC

3,5 stars, really. I think sometimes the wrong choice of the tracks running order has the power to spoil the overall coherence of a good work, This is at least the best explanation of why I really don´t fancy this CD too much, for it has very strong cuts and no tune is really bad. Coming 3 years after the excellent Understand, Fanatic kept the ball rolling with Jadis: The Great Outside is a powerful opener, small wonder it is the first song they played on their View From above live DVD. It´s one of their best and it segues with the equally convincing Into Temptation, where once again it´s hard to believe how good those four musicians are when they get together. Gary Chandler is also at his best both as songwriter and guitarist. He developed his very own, inimitable, style. But things get to a sudden halt with Each & Everyday: although not a bad song per se, far from it, it is nevertheless quite different, too slow and drags a bit in its 6 minutes. It really spoils the CD dynamics.

Things start to pick up the pace again with I Never Notice, although this one is less inspired than the albums two first cuts. On the other hand the nice title track puts everything on track again: a nice instrumental, atmospheric piece, this tune is very unusual for Jadis, but it works extremely well. It also serves as an intro to one of Jadis best songs ever, the reflexive Yourself Alone (also featured on their live DVD). The more mundane Take This Words is saved (as most of the tracks here) by the creative arrangements, excellent musicianship of all involved and, especially, by Chandlers unique, tasteful guitar breaks and solo. The delicate and poignant What Kind Of Reason proves that a slow, simple song can be worked up to an epic when played by four talented guys who know very well what team work is all about. it is over 8 minutes long, but you´ll think it´s too short. Brilliant!

The original CD finishes with another song that seems a little out of place here. Again Who Can We Be Sure Of is not a bad song, but really it´s not up to the remaining tracks of Fanatic, even if the arrangements and Chandler´s great guitar are well done. The extra track on some editions (like mine) The Flame is Burnt out has a fitting title!, since it seems to be just like that, a bonus track: a hard rock ditty that adds nothing to the album. Not the best way to finish an otherwise very fine CD.

Maybe I´m being too harsh and Fanatic deserved a for star rating, since it has so many fine songs on it. However, it is also clear that this time the tracklist is a bit uneven (by Jadis standards, that is). A change of a couple of songs would make this one as good as their previous one. At least that´s my opinion. So my final rating would be something between 3,5 and 4 stars. Compared to many other acts it is an excellent effort, but compared to Jadis own best works Fanatic is "just" very good.