When I reviewed C of E’s most recent album (the incredible ‘Fanfare & Fantasy’) I happened to mention that I hadn’t heard this their 2011 debut, so both Joe and Bruce kindly asked if I would like a copy. Daft question really. I still have some trouble realising that this is a debut album when they were a band that I knew about in the early Nineties, yet by then they were already pretty much defunct, so what on earth gave them the impetus to get back together again? Original members Joe Cairney (vocals), Jim Johnston (keys, additional guitars and backing vocals) and Mark Spalding (guitars and bass) brought in drummer Bruce Levick for the album (he has since joined) and even convinced Hew Montgomery to help out as well. But, this is way more than just some old guys (yes I can say that as I am one as well) getting together and messing about; these guys mean serious business.
There is no way that a band that has been apart for more than twenty years should be able to get together and produce an album that screams quality from start to end, it really does beggar the question “where have you been?” Loads of bands came and went during the 80’s and 90’s, but I can’t think of any that disappeared for such a long time before coming back with a neo-prog album of such epic proportions. While Marillion is an obvious influence, I would also point to Grace and Credo on some numbers, although Gryphon does definitely have an impact as does Kansas.
This is everything I want from a neo-prog album, from harmonies and melodies through to strong keyboards and punishing guitar lines. To finally have their classic “The Student Prince” on CD is just a huge bonus to boot, so glad that they brushed that one off and gave it the performance it deserved. All in all an incredible album that progheads will savour.
http://www.comedyoferrors.org/
