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Happy The Man - Crafty Hands CD (album) cover

CRAFTY HANDS

Happy The Man

 

Eclectic Prog

3.89 | 264 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

Mellotron Storm
Prog Reviewer
3 stars It's interesting seeing the wide range of opinions and ratings for this album. Some feel this is the greatest Symphonic band ever to come out of the U.S.A. while others call it generic and overrated. I guess i'm in the middle somewhere. It kind of bothers me that I don't like this record more, I mean the instrumental work is incredible but I could take this album or leave it.

"Service With A Smile" is one of the highlights on this album for me. I like the guitar work here in contrast with the synths. It's too bad that it's the shortest song on the album though. "Morning Sun" is a mellow track with keys, synths and acoustic guitar that does get fuller as drums come in around 3 minutes. "Ibby" It" Is is an uptempo tune with so many sounds meshing together perfectly. I like this one.The uptempo sections are contrasted with the synth led mellow passages that follow. Synths dominate after 6 1/2 minutes. It does seem to go on too long. "Steaming Pipes" features almost a GENTLE GIANT-like melody with all these intricate sounds. Like the previous song though they don't keep it up as it changes unfortunately. The guitar becomes prominant after 3 1/2 minutes.

"Wind Up Doll Day Wind" is the only song with vocals. It opens with a pastoral soundscape, then vocals come in.The tempo picks up 2 1/2 minutes in and a GENESIS flavour comes and goes starting at the 3 minute mark. Sax 4 1/2 minutes in with some great guitar a minute later. My second favourite song after the opener. "Open Book" becomes a classical sounding tune 1 1/2 minutes in. Flute leads the way for a while. A nice drum, key and synth melody follows. Nothing too earth shattering here. "I Forgot To Push It" has some good energy with some clapping as well. I like the drumming. "The Moon, I Sing(Nossuri)" opens with liquid keys as synths join in with light drums. A pleasant song but again too long.

I really do not enjoy this much at all, and if not for the excellent playing I would be hard pressed to give this even 3 stars.

Mellotron Storm | 3/5 |

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