Another emphatic, powerful and technically excellent production from
Peter Hammill. More rocky than PH7 or
Silent Corner and the Empty Stage, less techno than
Sittings Targets, this recording smooths a path between the '70s and the '80s. The lyrics are searching, poetic, psychological. It is difficult to choose a highlight: the hypnotic "Fogwalking" makes an instant impression, while the multipart "Flight" spans all aspects and facets of
Hammill's talents: from gentle through loud and brash and back to gentle again, studded with the inimicable sax of David Jackson. The multipart piece is one of
Hammill's trademarks: he takes a lyrical theme and expands it, story-like, through several short, connected pieces. Another good example of this type is "Headlong Stretch" on
Roaring Forties. ~ Ali Sinclair