Thoughtscape Sound - '97 Sampler CD 2

King Of Hearts - Land Of Dreams
Cy Curnin - Mayfly
Janey Clewer - I Married An Angel
Jeff Larson - Coffee At Midnight
Stephen Housden - Celtic Warrior (edit)
Fee Waybill - Surprise Yourself
Bill Champlin - Bad News (previously unreleased)
Broken Voices - Lessons In Love
King Of Hearts - In So Many Words
Bill Champlin - After The Love Has Gone (live)
Cy Curnin - Day To Day
Bruce Gaitsch - Nova
Stephen Housden - Seaspray
Jeff Larson - This Morning In Amsterdam
King Of Hearts - We Don't Talk Anymore (previously unreleased)
Broken Voices - Into Your Arms

Year: 1997
Label: Thoughtscape Sounds
Total Playing Time: 72:27 m:s

Record company samplers are a good way for a label to promote a number of acts act the same time, but can sometimes be a bit a mixed bag where the tracks are concerned.

King Of Hearts get 3 songs, 2 of which are from their All That Matters album. If you're working your way down my reviews page, then you'll already know that the two album tracks get my seal of approval. Their third contribution is a cover of Sir Cliff Richard's We Don't Talk Anymore. If they covered just about the only decent song that Cliff ever did, Devil Woman, I'd be a lot happier.

Cy Curnin isn't my cup of tea. His acoustic style tunes fall into the 'pleasant' category.

Janey Clewer's blend of country/folk meets singer/songwriter pop is one of the better tracks on offer.

The first couple of times I listened to this album, I probably skipped the Jeff Larson tracks halfway through. Acoustic music to chill out to, but I've got to be chilled out in the first place to hack it.

Stephen Housden, ex Little River Band, and Broken Voices member gives us a couple of instrumental offerings. More mood music than guitar histronics, I'll have a review of the album next month.

Fee Waybill, of The Tubes fame, donates a slice of Westcoast class to the compilation.

Bill Champlin, ex Chicago, is the first song to pick up the pace. The harmonica gives it a bluesy feel. The live version of After The Love Is Gone works fairly well, but it's a bit on the wimpy side for me.

Broken Voices features Stephen Housden & Graham Goble together with Susie Ahern and hail from Australia. Just from listening to the music I'd have guessed that they came from somewhere a lot closer to home. The lush vocal harmonies remind me of Irish pop folk band Clannad. I can't really understand why they call themselves Broken Voices, because the vocal harmonies lift the songs into the something special category. Watch out for a full album review next month.

Bruce Gaitsch's Nova instrumental falls into the beautiful and atmospheric category.

Well, that's just about every track covered. Perhaps a few too many tracks on the mellow side to suit my personal taste, but a good showcase for what Thoughtscape Sounds have to offer.

Rating: 7/8