Independent (label)
13 December 2014 (released)
13 December 2014
With other reviewers waxing lyrical about the strange and wonderful aspects of this album I came to it expecting some insane mix of folk and psych but what I found instead was a gentle and delightfully naïf treatise on the subject of dreams and death and the connections in both directions.
It has echoes of some of the best work of the Incredible String Band with superb playing and fine structures but crossed with guitar work that reminds me of Mike Oldfield.
One of the elements of the album that really appeals is the lack of fear: there is no sense of conservatism and Chris Wade seems happy to try unexpected additions of instrumentation that takes it to another realm, somewhere that you only realise works AFTER he has done it.
Nigel Planer (yes, him) performs a few ‘interludes’ – little stories that seem to act as landing zones for the mind to regroup – and unusually these bear multiple listens in their own right but tie the concepts in the album together.
Wade is joined by a selection of fine musicians – Ricky Romain on sitar, Kevin Scott on piano, Alison O’Donnel and Celia Humphris but Wade is clearly the star of the show and continues to show why he is so highly rated.
This will appeal to many if they give it a chance and let it work its way into their lives.
Autumnal and gentle but full of disturbing ideas and no shortage of surprises.
