COLIN TENCH PROJECT

When I open my Skype, there is one pinned connection that has been silent for over a year. On December 23rd 2017, I sent my last message to Colin Tench, promising him to get back to him on his new album minor Masterpiece for which he had just sent me the final digital version. A few days after, Colin would leave us, and I never got to tell him what I thought of the album. Today, a year after his passing, I think it's time to tell him.

Colin, you always told me you were very fond of what you heard in the sixties and seventies, and that you wanted those sounds to return and live on.

In terms of style, musicianship and production, that's what you aimed for, while at the same time making sure your original, humoristic and musically surprising twist was there. We talked a lot, and we shared some music on the first CTP album, the one with the 2 million guests. On the second one, your minor Masterpiece, you decided to keep it smaller ' not too many guests, and a piece of music centered around the drum tracks you got form Joe Vitale. It worked ' the album is varied, and musically and productionwise it got very close to what you always told me you wanted to achieve. Listening to the album, I can see why you pointed out The Beatles' I Want You (She's so Heavy), a track that a lot of people don't even recognise as a Beatles track.

It took me the best part of a year to get around to listening to the album in full, because it's so hard to do without being able to discuss it with you personally. I did it however, and I like it ' it's your own 'white album' ' varied, original, recognisable at the same time and exactly how you wanted it ' rock combo and orchestra in one, with your friends Joe, Gordo, Petri, Joey and Peter shining with you.

Thank you for the music, Mr. Tench. We'll meet again.

An exceptionally well produced album of confident and masterful songcrafting which somehow comes up short-- especially emotionally--when compared to last year's amazingly powerful and relevant collection of songs on Hair in a G-String (Unfinished but Sweet). Whereas that album never led me to question its inclusion within prog world, this one, I fear, had me often asking myself if the music here was truly representative of progressive rock music; Minor Masterpiece feels as if it belongs more clearly within the realms of classic rock music.

1. "See How She Runs" (4:46) a fairly proggy soundscape is here used to tell a story in a Beatles-kind of way--at least until 3:23 when the sound shifts to a more straight on rock to its end. Solid but nothing new here. (8/10)

2. "Darkness Falls" (2:33) I really like the pathos in the lead singer's voice for this song--it alone is very engaging-- almost to the exclusion of the rest of the music and instrumental performances. (9/10)

3. "Didn't Even Wanna Do It. Did It Anyway" (7:30) the instrumental section between the vocals are the high points of this one for me. The song during the verses sound a lot like Steppenwolf's "Born to Be Wild" verses. The orchestrated end section is great. (8.5/10)

4. "He's Gone" (1:31) another little Colin Tench lament for the loss of someone...but whom? (4/5)

5. "Waiting for Gordo" (4:01) opens as an awesome semi-orchestral (keyboard generated) soundtrack piece. More, please! (You do write awesome soundtrack-type music, Colin--going back to that first Corvus Stone album!) (9.5/10)

6. "Still Solemn After all These Years" (1:51) piano, guitars, and synth-orchestra weave of pretty music--a kind of jazzy soundtrack ode. It could go on. (Maybe it does: the next song) (5/5)

7. "Gran Finale" (4:26) a Spanish-infused or even -grounded song that bristles to life in the second minute as first one and then two and even three electric guitars vie for the listener's ear. In the middle of the third minute piano and acoustic guitar take a little walk on the wild side before the electric axes jump back in to try to assert themselves. Vocalise from multiple voices try to join in. This one, too, could have jammed longer--especially to explore further that interesting infusion of vocals. Still, a CTP masterpiece. (10/10)

8. "Welcome to Your World" (4:48) a late-night friendly bar song with multiple voices, multiple instrumentalists. Could almost be an Alan Parsons Project or Jimmy Buffet song. (8.5/10)

9. "Squeaky Door Time" (3:07) a spicy Latin-infused instrumental showcasing Colin's lead guitar prowess--on both electric and acoustic! The rhythm tracks of this song are so lively and fun that it makes you want to be there watching them, dancing with them, playing the cowbell. (9/10)

10. "Under the Conker Tree" (2:51) an instrumental with multiple acoustic guitar tracks. Nice background music. Colin's excellent sound engineering is so evident on songs like this. (8/10)

11. "Viva Vitale" (3:11) obviously a showcase for drumming legend Joe Vitale (BARNSTORM, JOE WALSH, EAGLES, CROSBY, STILLS & NASH). The song allows for many subtle fills and flourishes while the rest of the band play a nice instrumental Latin-blues-rocker over the top--Colin again performing his wizardry on multiple tracks on multiple guitars, both acoustic and electric. I find myself listening to this one purely for the wonder and awe of trying to comprehend the planning and editing of those guitar parts. (9/5/10)

12. "Your Song is a Nightmare" (4:00) for me, the violin and multi-instrumental melodies steal the show on this one (though the vocals do a nice job of not over-performing--at least for the first half). The tongue-in-cheek self- deprecating humour can only be played out for so long. (8/10)

13. "Now Get on Your Way" (5:18) a total album-ending finale (with its repetition of the opening song's "we won't get fooled again" line), there is, unfortunately, nothing here that would have be play this one again. A little too murky with the wild, bar-room chorus feel of the vocals. (7/10)

Four stars; a polished, great-sounding collection of rock songs--several of which are sure to provide repeated listening enjoyment.

Just before Christmas I got my act together and sent my Christmas note to all the record labels, PR companies and musicians I am involved with. One of the first responses I had was from Colin, and we swapped emails over the next couple of days ? me taking the piss out of him being so cold, and him responding to my comments about the wonderful summer we were having by saying "Now I must go out and drive about in the snow a bit. Hotness is for losers! Ha ha". The last email he sent me, received here on Christmas morning, was signed off "Colin from the North". It was an incredible shock to hear that only four days later he had passed away from natural causes, and to be honest I still can't believe it. Here I am listening to his brand-new album, and I have no way of telling him just how much I have enjoyed it, or how much more complete I feel it is from his debut. That it feels much more like a band, and the reduction in personnel has had a major positive impact, that the contribution from Peter Jones (Tiger Moth Tales, Camel, Red Bazar) is immense, or that I can totally see why he was so proud to tell me that Joe Vitale (Joe Walsh, Barnstorm, CSN) was a full member of the band because he believed in it so much, or that his guitar-playing is the best I have heard from him, and his use of acoustic guitars at the relevant times make a huge difference.

I can't tell him any of that, nor that his mix of so many different styles, as his brain moved from one place to another, is so typically him. I also can't work out if I have enjoyed this album so much because I wanted his final album to be worthwhile and memorable, or if it is my emotions that are mixed up with it that have caused me to hear more than is already there. I hope and believe that it is the former, but music is always subjective as opposed to objective, no matter how hard we work at it, so who is to say?

Available on download already, and available on CD at the end of the month, you owe it to yourselves, and to the memory of someone who I have never heard a bad word said about, to give it a try. Kevin from the South.

The first solo album from Colin was released in 2016, with the full title of 'Hair In A G String (Unfinished But Sweet)'. Colin and I are both originally from the UK, but he went North while I ended up as far South as I could. He first contacted me some five years ago, asking me to review an album by Corvus Stone, and even stayed in touch when I didn't enjoy it as much as I might have! He has worked on different things through the years, building up a strong set of contacts who admired him as a guitarist, and who were readily to hand when he started working on this album.

There are well in excess of 20 other musicians involved, while Colin himself provides acoustic and electric guitars, piano, synthesizer, drum programming and percussion. Musically this is all over the place, combining progressive rock with classical, pop, rock, and lots more. Colin is as happy double-tracking on acoustic guitar as he is providing Jeff Beck-style searing solos. He has always been a bit of a magpie, bringing in bits and pieces from his travels and discoveries, and his album is a microcosm of all that. Incredibly inventive, it is packed full of differing styles so that it always feels fresh, inviting, and something that really needs to be listened to. The very first time I played this was sat quietly, with a wonderful glass of Pinot Gris, and a book I was looking forward to reading. But, the book stayed by my side unopened as it just isn't possible to concentrate on the plot and follow this album at the same time. A mix of instrumentals and songs, this really is a very special album indeed, and one that all overs of fine music would do well to investigate.

It's Christmas time, by gosh and by golly, and here comes Santa, only the sleigh has been commandeered by Colin "Mad Yeti" Tench and is being pulled by thirteen granny prog tracks. In the back are several helpers, elves who are chucking digital copies of the new Colin Tench Project album "minor Masterpiece" to the crest of the new fallen snow below.

Look! There's Finland's busiest bassist, Petri Lindstrom handling the low end gifts. There's Gordo Bennett orchestrating his horns and strings, G-string tautly in place. Then on one side we see Peter Jones shouting sarcastic remarks in a disgruntled British gentleman's tone, while on the other side we find Joey Lugassy has brushed off the dust of his bunch of keys, his long curly locks blowing in the crisp winter air and his warm voice bringing a glow to the hearts of granny proggers everywhere. And thumping away in the back is drummer boy Joe Vitale, looking vital and invigorated as he beats his skins for the Yuletide Fest.

Now, before we delve into this much-anticipated (*citation needed) second offering from CTP (Cheese Tomato Paste for those of you not in the know), let's briefly take a look at what is different this time round and what remains familiar. The debut album, elegantly entitled "Hair in a G-string (unfinished but sweet)" was a project that was begun a few years prior, when Colin was just getting back into playing the guitar after a very long hiatus. But just as the initial compositions were starting to take shape, he became busy with Corvus Stone and then a good number of other projects before he was finally able to return his attention to his own project. To see it all come to life as wonderfully as it did, he enlisted the help of nearly two dozen musicians! The album was comprised of a suite in four parts, some very catchy songs, some acoustic instrumentals, a couple of reworked Corvus Stone themes, and some of the earliest compositions for the project. The album was so long that the final track had to be made a bonus track for download only as it would not fit on the CD!

For "minor Masterpiece", Colin has kept things a little simpler. First of all, the band is made up of six main members (those merry-making men mentioned above) and two special guests: Eddie Young on cello and Christo Pellani on drums and percussion on one track. It's all fresh material, and the album clocks in at just around 50 minutes, so for those who can't sit through a full CD of music without a potty break, this should be discomfort-free.

For those who loved the first album, you'll be glad to know that with Gordo Bennett, Peter Jones, and Petri Lindstrom on board again with Colin, much of what made "Hair in a G-String" taste so good, er, sound so good is still present here. Also, there is a wonderful catchy but intelligent single in "See How She Runs", a running theme in tracks two to seven, a beautiful acoustic instrumental that at times hearkens back to 69/70 Pink Floyd, an orchestral instrumental that has properly earned its place on the album and not as a download special bonus track, and some entertaining, upbeat rock. Naturally, Colin adds some Spanish flare (because he's secretly an English Mexican) accompanied by some Latin rhythms while other exotic "world music" melodies easily slip from his strings, and Peter Jones shows off his inimitable talent for theatrical and comedic vocal improvisation.

New to the roster are Joey Lugassy and Joe Vitale. Joey, a two-timer when it comes to Grammy nominations, joined Colin way back in the 80's for vocal duties on the BunChakeze album "Whose Dream" and he comes back to take the mic for a few tracks here: "Darkness Falls", "He's Gone", and "Welcome to Your World" and sharing vocals with Peter on "Now Get on Your Way". Joe Vitale, who plays with Joe Walsh and has played with Crosby Stills and Nash, sits on his stool and deftly handles his drum sticks without a turkey in sight.

Without a doubt, this is a CTP album in sound, style, attention to detail, lyrical significance and humour. Side one is mostly tied in a theme while side two also seems to have some tracks at least sharing a story. For example, "Welcome to Your World" begins with "Now you like to do it your own way / But afraid they might not approve / Fly above them, seduce them, inspire them" while "Your Song is a Nightmare" tells a story that sounds like it's from the point of view of a very critical judge for X-factor: "That's your song? Oh, my word, I've never heard such a load of cobblers! How did you think that we'd waste our time on this trash you dare to bring us?" But this Nightmare song seems to also tell the story for many artists, particularly prog artists because the judge asks to know what the genre is and later complains that they've listened for "over ten seconds" and judged that the song is too long! When the lyrics to the final track "Now Get on Your Way" reveal themselves to be a reprisal of the lyrics to the opening track "See How She Runs" there's a message suggested. Though "See How She Ruins" is actually a kind of open letter to Prime Minister Theresa May about Brexit, connecting them to the judge in an X-Factor-like show almost seems to imply a show business similarity to the political arena. But perhaps I'm reading too much into this.

Some eyebrow raisers here are the humorous but lyrically vague rocker "Didn't Even Want to Do It. Did It Anyway" (which is the first time, I think, I've seen a period in a song title). Peter Jones delivers a soulful American style vocal and adds lots of humour to the song in little quips here and there. And yet there's a lyrical theme that possibly relates to those previously mentioned tracks on side two. The music is also especially effective as it follows the slow and sombre "Darkness Falls". Another curious track is "Squeaky Door Time", a rollicking instrumental that features, you guessed it, a squeaky door! Also, you'll catch some beautiful orchestration in "Now Be on Your Way" and "Waiting for Gordo" by Gordo Bennett. Gordo flexes his orchestral muscle throughout the album to beautiful effect!

Though not as long as the previous album or any Corvus Stone albums, "minor Masterpiece" is a treat of a variety of styles and approaches. Colin is often inspired by the early seventies for the diversity and daring of the music of that time and it shows on this wonderful new offering from CTP. It's a worthy successor to the hairy string album. This may not be everyone's cup of eggnog; I often feel CTP and Corvus Stone albums are best enjoyed on their own. Like a Tim Burton movie, there's a certain uniqueness/madness that you have to accept. Colin and Co. put a lot into their music. This is no easily chewed, swallowed and digested piece of gingerbread. It's a savoury meal that requires proper mastication to fully appreciate. A good glass of wine might help, figuratively or literally.

Oh, and special mention must go to the Fantasiastic artwork of Sonia Mota. I'm really looking forward to seeing the artwork in the digipak when it comes out.

Catch the official download release on December 24th and be ready for the CD on January 30th (because why wait until the absolute last day of the month!). Warning: this album becomes even more enjoyable with repeat listens.

I keep getting dragged back to this album. I do believe it's the best album for many years from anybody. If a single member of many different early progressive rock bands got together to see what happened, this might be the result. It is simply sublime. I see there are a few others who say the same in reviews, so I thought I would add my own. There is not one moment on here that I get bored or the feeling there is any pointless noodling going on. All of the vocals are brilliant and that rarely happens on any album. A perfect combinatoion of songs and pure music ranging from Beatles, Santana to Piano and almost classical pieces to classic guitar rock. Didn't this kind of record get banned 40 years ago? The Opening Part 1 draws you in and Part 4b blows you away as a finale. Great great music guys!

I'm going to straight to the point. It is brilliant! Everytime Colin Tench is involved in something I got to have it. It is soooo refreshing to still be able to find music and musicians that have an ability to not take themselves 100% seriously. Except for the obvious talent for constructing "catchy" tunes Colin and Co. also are able to put in a huge chunk of humour. It shows that they are having fun making the album, which in turn makes it fun to listen to.

The album is very well paced and despite some of the compositions being quite lengthy, none of them overstay its welcome. Constant twists, loops and changes make you feel like you are on a crazy adventure that can lead you anywhere. That is something that i find difficult to find in most of modern music. That sense of discovery, surprise and excitement. This album has it by the loads.

Even though I enjoy the album and I would put it on some of the highest of my shelves I think there is still more where it came from. Can't wait for the next one, cause they just keep getting better and better. OH, and don't forget to sit through the wohle thing cause Part 4b Redux, although short, might be modern musics answer to Bethovens Opus 55: Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major ("Eroica") that we all have been waiting for!

Much love Pawel

Track Part 4B - Don't miss it! The title of the album is a take of Bach's Air on the G-String. While (Unfinished but sweet) is often described in classic music sheets unfinished suite. This album as a whole, one can't help but think of Alice Cooper's UNFINISHED SWEET musical landscape with explosion of colors taking you to Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory, to James bond sexy spy thriller, from the Beatles fun filled tunes and harmonies, to Nino Rota's latin musical scores, evolving to a dramatic opera with all the trimmings giving you Queen with Vangelis crescendos.

Hair In A G-String opens with Part 1 - The Opening - Stunning, stunning, song! Acoustic guitars, piano, keyboards, electric guitars lead in to "it's time to start the show, sit down, relax,...", Pete's voice sounds unbelievable, like Peter Gabriel with lyrics Bowie could have written. But the best part is yet to come. At 4.33mins Peter Jones saxophone 'OMG', you feel it starting right from your gut, an absolute stunner, reminiscent of Floyd's Dark Of The Moon.

Can't see any other way - Beautiful 70's feel good song, guitars play lead and response to Phil Naro's amazing 4 octave vocal range and harmonies. The bass guitar really shines here and Colin lead guitar at times sounds like a saxophone.

Part 2 - The Hairy Part - A track full of surprises - most endearing classical orchestration beginning, goes into full rock mode, changing to fluttering drumming and deep inhaling guitars, fast and rhythmic clever, 3mins into the track, ... "bang" Santana arrives... in big way... with a fantastic samba explosion.

The Mad Yeti - Romantic Spanish Acoustic song, fast and slow beautiful melodies.

And so today - Homage to Four Beloved Artists we sadly lost last year. Lyrics make special reference although not obvious to Sir George Martin (5th Beatle), Glenn Frey, Lemmy Kilmister and David Bowie... this song hits a nerve, emotionally grabbing, leaving lump in my throat, brings me easily to tears. Besides vocals, Pete plays clarinet with a touch of Genesis and the Waltz whereby the acoustic guitar, piano, violins and bass notes, all complement each other. Colin's small lead-break halfway through adds the right beautiful touch.

Part 3 - I'm Going Down - The first part of this song up to 2.17mins, orchestration, guitars hit every sensitive nerve, one feels, hangs on to every note. Then the song takes a Queen turn, May lead guitars kick in, at 2.38mins Pete vocals come in, soon turns into a darker Queen Opera, and back to melodic full orchestration of flowing fanfare 'fom fom fa fom fom fa' accordion to The Beatles Sergeant Pepper, the last part followed by Pink Floyd The Wall with my favorite ending Colin's guitars playing funky chucking notes like Nile Rodgers to describe it the best I can. N.B.: A secret backwards message at the end.

Lisa Waltzes Back In With No G-String - Gob smacking brilliant Waltz! Maestro Gordo orchestration is huge, Colin's guitars start a lead and response war, the horns, violins, bass and drums all join in to produce a marvelous explosion.

Lisa's Entrance Unplugged - Another big favorite, acoustic guitars, whistles and the flute performed by Ian, telling a Sicilian story with a touch of western, beautiful & touching like Nino Rota's The Godfather.

Something Old Something New Something Borrowed Something Screwed - Masterpiece - Exciting Instrumental song, great guitar tunes, beautiful lead breaks and magnificent crescendos.

La Palo Desperado - My favorite acoustic track on the album, Spanish Paso Doble and The Tango. Exciting full of flavor and raunchy with slower seductive bits. Olé ! And a slight pink panther tune.

A Beautiful Feeling - Phil Naro vocal harmonies take you back to the classic early 60's Frankie Valli and the 4 seasons, a song to be played anywhere, the soft samba rhythm, slide and lead guitars added by sweet percussion with shakers, easy to dance either alone or with a partner.

Dnieper Summer Day - a quirky fast acoustic guitar track, layers changing and overlapping each others. You cannot possibly sit still to that.

PART4-B - Favorite ending of an album, The Rat Pack Sinatra and Crosby with Zappa joining in. Very clever and funny, Peter Jones and Phil Naro duet with lead and response guitars joined by big band orchestration done just right. I have to highlight the comical middle section with Jay's drums adding to the whole band having fun.

PART4B Redux - This short piece, I envision Monty Python and the Holy Grail start of the movie, but this time they are Minions.

Listening to this album has been one of my very disappointing musical experiences of the year. There are many good reviews about it!! So I was expecting for something really great. I prepared myself for an hour of great sound, big arrangements and all I know is a big prog album. And then it came "Hair in a G string" and I knew why the complete name has the "(Unfinished but sweet)" commentary Oh, my boy, IT IS, "Unfinished but sweet"!!! I will ask Colin Tench. Please why didn't you finished them all, BEFORE releasing the whole bunch? To me a prog album is greatly polished. OK, you got some good tunes here, but you got to work a lot on them before get a "prog album" of this stuff. Colin Tench in a very good musician, he plays guitar virtuously, but that's not enough to me. In the end, to me this is but a bunch of pop songs (some with long soft intros): "sweet but unfinished". I can't rate it as a "prog album".

Ed Sheehan once said "I can't tell you the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everyone" but that is not the case for Colin Tench Project (CTP). Rather than trying to please everyone the band take detours into a vast variety of musical styles and this culminates in an album with surprises around every corner on HAIR IN A G STRING (UNFINISHED BUT SWEET). There are Samba and Latin rhythms mixed with extended keyboard and lead breaks, sporadic passages of jumpy beats and dissonance merged in among beautiful pastoral ballads. One song might sound like The Beatles and then the next launches into a full blown progressive instrumental. This is the type of album that grows slowly on the listener. It's adorned in an attractive artistic cover and booklet illustrated by Sonia Mota always capturing life perfectly at the stroke of a brush.

The real highlights are found in the songs with lyrics so well sung by Peter Jones. However the instrumental tracks are musical ear candy especially the Hair in a G String segments. Tench is masterful on lead guitar making it soar and dive at every opportunity. He is joined by a plethora of musical geniuses each adding their own quirky intervention.

The album opens with a symphonic space suite sounding like Star Trek and as soon as we hear the chimes, a wonderful acoustic accompaniment vibrates into a romantic sonnet. The harp glissando signifies a new movement and the lead guitars layer across the soundscape. This is beauty in a musical format. The vocals implores us to throw off some clothes so we can begin. It sounds as theatrical as Peter Gabriel. Peter Jones has a sweet timber in his voice and it's magnified by the cacophony of sounds including a gorgeous sax sound. A great start to the album.

The next track proves that CTP are capable of radio friendly commercial excellence. They are not People pleasers: for such people take most criticism personally; and Feel an extraordinary fear of rejection. The lyrics of Can't See it any other Way speak of making decisions and not allowing one to surrender their lives to the opinions of others. I love that Beatles sound on the song; melodic and calm.

Furthermore people pleasers would find it hard to express their true feelings. CTP certainly know how to express themselves in musical terms. On the Hairy Part of the title track they begin to channel Santana especially the sound of the early years. I love this and how the band sound like they are partying. It's a sexy sound with a ton of tom tom and Latin rhythms.

The Mad Yeti is an acoustic piece beautifully played with a very relaxed feel. Though I would not have a chance of getting such a gorgeous sound from my old axe.

The Sad Brazilian is a masterpiece. The piano rings with a melancholy sound and an orchestral sunset hovers over the keys. The hyper relaxed atmosphere is a dreamscape of symphonic majesty. A colourama of dark and light augmented by Psycho strings and cinematic breadth. The loud guitar crashes through at the right moment. Absolutely deliriously brilliant.

And So Today I rediscovered from the film clip scattered on social media. The ballad is sung with heartfelt emotion by Peter Jones in a graveyard. It signifies the passing of musical legends such as Lemmy. A very emotional detour in the album.

I'm Going Down is the third segment of the title track. It's a multi tracked song that becomes an instrumental. This one veers into all sorts of directions from Gentle Giant madness to Pink Floyd to Captain Pugwash accordion then into Because by The Beatles. It's as if a musical shop exploded and the instruments took off by themselves to play their own private gig. It's surreal in places, backmasking at one point, and is the band in an experimental mood. When they're unleashed they are at their best. A ten minute mini epic and one of the highlights of the album - its goodity goodity good.

Another instrumental follows with Lisa Waltzes in with no G String. This Lisa has appeared on past Tench albums so it's a familiar thing. A lot of fun as we are treated to a cinematic waltz with a Tarantino western feel.

Lisa's Entrance Unplugged is a medieval Elizabethan melody. This is followed by Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Screwed, an instrumental that encompasses a variety of musical styles that are striking when you hear them. There's a tribute to The Wall era Pink Floyd, The Beatles, The Eagles, and others less obvious. Tench's lead guitar is wonderful on this track and the harmonies blend perfectly in.

We venture into Spain next as if Red Dwarf's Riviera Kid were about to make an appearance. This is followed by a song sounding as radio friendly as The Eagles Lying Eyes. It's actually a dang good song and well sung. I reckon Peter Jones would be a good lead singer for an Eagles tribute band.

Where to from here? An acoustic instrumental that is a glorified sped up version of Hotel California. But it's fun, short and I love the chord structure so I'll let them get away with it.

Part 4b opens with a nautical feel then really powerful lead guitar tones and a proggy song, with theatrical touches and extreme humour a bit like a Monty Python satire. It makes me laugh so I'm okay with the downright silliness. Where did these violins come from? Good question guys. The nonsense lyrics is a send up of the medium and why not? Zappa would approve. The Bathory death metal roar is killer but is soon ended with a Fishermans Friend. I'm not kidding. The odd time signature follows and the music spreads out into a nice piece. They still need to close off the show and impress the fans so it's time for some more arguments before a brilliant lead break with a Wah Wah pedal. It soars heavenly and launches into the stratosphere. I'm already sold by it all but then it takes me on a speed metal detour but it's damned too short. Back to the medium pace melody and duel lead break showcase. What a nutty and enjoyable romp.

The redux to follow is like Devo got hold of the album and added their own quirkiness.

Contentment doesn't come when we have everything we want but it comes When we want everything we have. TCTP absolutely nail every track on this album. We want to hear these tracks even though we don't realise it till the album is playing so we become content with it. Every time I put it on I am surprised at its diversity and how it manages to deliver so many pleasant musical experiences. It's a new approach to prog, ambitious and daring, but when it's played to perfection and with such passion it leaves little room for us to critique; on the contrary we can only sit back and bathe in the instrumental pool of delights.