UTOPIAN FIELDS

Top three would include the opener "Pictures Of The Ages" which is quite spacey to begin with but slowly builds including some beautiful sounding guitar. Vocals after 2 1/2 minutes which are reserved before the drums and organ kick in with a powerful sound. Vocals come and go and themes are repeated. How about "Hazy & Puzzling" an uplifting track with picked guitar, vocals, bass and drums. Nice guitar solo after 3 minutes and I like that calm with bass only after 4 minutes. "Valley Of Decision II & III" ends the album and "Valley Of Decision" is another name for the Plains of Medigo where Armageddon will take place. The same place Napoleon and his armies camped at. A perfect huge plain for armies to gather and they will. Fast paced piano but relaxed guitar to start which sounds pretty cool. It then turns surprisingly powerful. A calm with organ at 1 1/2 minutes as reserved vocals arrive. Vocals will come and go. Floating organ as well here and what sounds like mellotron but probably spacey synths. This is beautiful and majestic regardless. A special album. And no this isn't Neo Prog.

I was surprised to see this band listed under Neo-Prog here. I really like the male singer along with the lyrics. The organ tends to create atmosphere by floating along. The opener is my favourite with that relaxed and uplifting sound often created by the guitar. "Sun" is similar in sound to the opener as again vocals come and go. "Cloudless Sulphur" has a flute intro and I really like when it all builds after 2 1/2 minutes then it settles right down again, harmonica too. Vocals around 4 minutes in this 10 minute song. The closer is the longest at over 12 minutes and there's some FLOYD moments with the floating organ and guitar. Vocals at 5 1/2 minutes and it turns powerful after 6 minutes but then settles back again.

I just enjoy their sound and while I'm not blown away by any means this is worthy of the 4 stars.