POLYGONDWANALAND

1. 'Crumbling Castle (10:44) a great groove with catchy melodies. BLACK SABBATH comes to mind. I'm most drawn to listen to the bass: he seems to be trying to fill spaces that no one else is. The multi-track drums and percussion are also fun to try to listen to. Would have liked to see a little more deviation from the original groove'there are a few teasing instances where members or spaces threaten to veer, but then everybody unfailingly returns to center 'at least until the slow-motion final 90 seconds. (17.75/20)

2. 'Polygondwanaland' (3:32) bass and drums open this one--the former playing up close and high on the fretboard. A lot of staccato note play in this one--from all instruments and vocalists--at least, until the mandolin and flute play in the third minute. (8.75/10)

3. 'The Castle In The Air' (2:47) opens with folk rock feel while Leah Senior does her poetry reading. Then shifts into KING CRIMSON-plays bluegrass feel. Interesting interlude! (4.25/5)

4. 'Deserted Dunes Welcome Weary Feet' (3:33) moves the former song into more electric realms while staccato choir singing approach continues--kind of a continuous trip since the start of the second song. Space synths take over in the third minute instrumental section. (8.75/10)

5. 'Inner Cell' (3:55) more delicate instrumental play woven together for support of whispered choral vocals. If one were not a lyric-conscious listener (as I am not), this could get a little monotonous. (8.5/10)

6. 'Loyalty' (3:38) heavy synth arpeggio sequence flanging away while other instruments gradually join in to create a mellow groove for some mellow whispered multi-voiced vocals. A good lyric for toady's blind allegiances to 'party ideals.' (8.5/10)

7. 'Horology' (2:52) with staccato instrumentation, this one sounds like counting time off. More mostly-whispered or talked multi-voice lyrics. The chorus section is almost catchy. (4.25/5)

8. 'Tetrachromacy' (3:30) a slower-paced acoustic guitar-led weave over which choral voices sing their laid back lyric. At 1:15 the singing and drums get more forceful for a chorus. (8.5/10)

9. 'Searching...' (3:03) very eerie synths, glass-like percussives, and hand drums provide the backdrop for some simpler, also-eerie whispered singing (with long, sustained notes!). Definitely sets a mood. (8.75/10)

10. 'The Fourth Colour' (6:12) takes off from the previous song into GONG-like realms of Indian spiritualist chant music. Easily the most lively, complexly constructed song on the album (not to denigrate any of the intricate multi- instrumental weaves before--this one just has different 'sections' as opposed to a total jam feel). (9/10)

Total Time 43:46

B+/four stars; an excellent contribution to the space/psychedelia retro-cartography of progressive rock music.

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