PASSAGE TO THE FOREST OF MYSTERIOUS

1. "Kingfisher and Dragonflies (Part 4)" (3:01) solo acoustic steel string guitar opens this before New Age keyboard synth notes begin backing up the guitar's melodies. Bass and some sparse drumming join in before group vocalese enters to also replicate the guitar and synth's melody line. It sounds very JON ANDERSON/ANT PHILLIPS-like. (9/10)

2. "Mysterious Forest (Part 1) - World in a Grain of Sand" (14:03) nice mature bombastic prog that checks all the boxes but doesn't offer anything very memorable much less to knock your socks off. (26.5/30)

3. "Mysterious Forest (Part 2) - The Ominous Ride" (4:21) a jazzy, keyboard-dominated opening turns prog fusion at 0:40 as piano and rhythm section support a lead guitar solo. At 1:35 electric piano takes over as the pace shifts into fourth gear. Nice bass play and synth wash background support. At 2:30 a buzz saw-like synth enters and competes for the lead but is then supplanted by a pyrotechnically flashy 21st Century electric guitar solo. Very nice song! (9/10)

4. "To Those Who Dwell in Realms of Day" (2:18) more than an interlude or étude (4.375/5)

5. "Birds of Passage and the Enchanted Forest" (19:02) reworked from a previous album (2020's Birds of Passage)--an album that was released in January of 2020, just before the COVID pandemic swept across the planet. Birds has been one of Antony's more popular and well-received releases--partly due, no doubt, to the collaboration of his usual posse of excellent musicians. It is quite well-constructed and performed with Antony's usual great NeoProg sound, I just have trouble endorsing the re-publication of a previously released piece of music. (36/40)

6. "Through the Whispers of the Wind" (1:38) beautiful acoustic guitar with synth-orchestral support. WILLOWGLASS-like. (4.375/5)

7. "Mysterious Forest (Part 3) - World in a Grain of Sand Reprise" (4:15) multiple keyboard-generated tracks are delicately woven together for the spacious support for the male vocalist's singing. After the brief first verse, electric tuned percussion signals entry to the chorus which, again, sounds quite JON ANDERSON New Agey. The synth, jazz bass, and metronomic drum supported nylon string guitar and saxophone solos only seal this sentiment. (8.66667/10)

8. "Birds of Passage and the Enchanted Forest" (single version) (9:59) song #5 here rendered into a "single" version. (Who's ever heard of a ten-minute "single"? I mean, the whole purpose of a single is to deliver a version that is appropriate for radio play--and I can think of very few pop radio stations that will play a ten-minute song!) I can't rate this too low because it is still wonderful, but it's not new! And it's been released as an epic-length song on the same album--three songs before! (17.5/20)

Total Time 58:37

I do not like republished music of older songs despite the fact that they may be better than their original versions (and despite the fact that as an artist myself I know and appreciate the desire to revisit and rework/edit one's previous work)--it feels like a trick played upon the consumerist public. I mean, if the music were offered free for those who purchased the original material, then that would be a different matter, but, if the original material wasn't good (or failed to get critical acclaim or approval) then so be it; you should have sat on it longer the first time.

Still, there is Antony's usual excellent, lush sound engineering and production here and quite a nice, fully developed palette of collaborator's inputs throughout the album's songs.

B/four stars; an excellent addition to any prog lover's music collection--especially if you're into a more New Agey sound palette for your retro-prog.

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