War and peace and other short stories --- Sean Filkins – 2011
I was never really supposed to hear this album. I had no idea who Sean Filkins was, but downloaded it on the advice of Progarchives, who included it as one of their top albums of 2011. It was only when I was out and looking for something new to play off my Zen that I came across it and thought “Ah sure why not? It'll probably be crap.” But it wasn't.
The voice of Sean Filkins, I later found out, can be heard on Big Big Train's albums from 2001 to 2009, including the excellent “Gathering speed”, and this is his first solo effort. Produced by Karl Groom, guitarist with Threshold, it features guest appearances from some of the cream of progressive rock, with the likes of John Sammes from Indigo Pilots on keys, John Mitchell from Arena and It Bites on guitar, Gary Chandler from Jadis and Spock's Beard's Dave Meros. There are only six tracks in all but he does not skimp on the length of tracks, with two twenty-minute tracks and another that runs for eleven. The opener is weird but once you get to know Filkins's music, typical of the man. Titled “Are you sitting comfortably?” it's literally an introduction to the album, with the sound of tea being poured, cups clinking and a televison or radio switching on, while in the background “Jerusalem” plays on a low organ. Quite Pink Floyd circa “The final cut” really.
There are some excellent tracks here, and Filkins makes great use of sound effects, particuarly in the third track, “Prisoner of conscience part 1: the soldier.” However it's in the almost-closer, the twenty-minute epic “Epitaph for a mariner” that we really see Filkins come into his own. With an opening from another hymn, “Eternal father, strong to save”, it sets the scene for the story of a sailor trying to survive a massive storm at sea, and goes through many different changes along the way. I think I would have liked the album to end on this but there is another track to close, and though it's good it's a pale shadow of “Epitaph”, which features some amazing guitar work and some quite stunning, almost electronica synth as well.
All in all, a pretty excellent album and one I'm very glad I got to hear, if only accidentally. Looking forward to his next effort, whenever that may emerge.
Rating: 9 out of 10