TRACES

Nine Stones Close started in 2008 as a personal project of British multi-instrumentalist and singer Adrian Jones in order to wite music around a near death experience he had back in 2002.Adrian played all instruments, recorded and sung all lyrics for the first Nine Stones Close album ''St Lo'' (the place he had the accident) and the album was released indepedently in 2008.In 2009 this solo project developed into a solid quartet with Marc Atkinson of Mandalaband fame on vocals, Brendan Eyre on keys and Neil Quarrell on bass.The new line-up recorded a second album entitled ''Traces'', released in November 2010.

This is a fine example of modern atmospheric Prog with big time lyrical moments and a slight Psychedelic Rock atmosphere at moments.No keyboards fanfares, no virtuosic guitar workouts.''Traces'' is an effort for all those admiring deep atmospheres and tight musicianship and reference points could be PORCUPINE TREE, later-era MARILLION and PINK FLOYD with Jones having a certain GILMOUR-ish vibe on his solo offerings.The majority of the album has a calm and soft approach, not unlike PINK FLOYD's ''Division bell'', where all guitar solos, organ sounds, acoustic guitars and vocals are carefully measured.Smooth vocals, district guitar effects and background synths create moments of relaxing but also highly ethereal soundscapes.The 15-min. ''Thicker Than Water'' seems to be a bit of an exception.The dreamy approach of Nine Stones Close is still present halfway through the middle of the track, where an emotional Heavy Rock breakout is waiting, characterized by Atkinson's passionate singing, Jones' brutal guitars and Eyre's deep organ, definitely a needed amount of energy in an album of complete softness and of course the highlight of the album.

The album has been re-released in a limited edition with a bonus CD, featuring reworked arrangements of the main album's songs and another reissue came out in 2011 by ProgRock Records.Nevertheless, this is a good proposal of decent Neo/Heavy/Psychedelic Progressive Rock of the new millenium.If you love low-tempo music with a deep emotional content ''Traces'' is definitely your choice.Recommended.