Tiles built on the success of their debut album and created a masterpiece with their second album,
Fence the Clear. Featuring new drummer Pat Deleon,
Fence the Clear maintains the basic sound of
Tiles but significantly improves the songwriting.
Fence the Clear has a very open, melodic feel starting with two real rockers, "Patters" and "Beneath the Surface." "Cactus Valley" slows the tempo somewhat, with excellent vocals, very noticeable, melodic bass and strong backing guitar. "The Wading Pool" is a stunning emotional ballad with only vocals and a soft guitar. "Gameshow" is a somewhat unusual song that doesn't fulfill its potential; it is, however, enjoyable to listen to. The most truly progressive track here is the album closer, "Checkerboards," an almost 15-minute track with many changes throughout and some instrumental breaks.
Fence the Clear is a fantastic CD that sounds a lot like '80s
Rush. [The album was also available with a wealth of bonus material.] ~ David White