Mostly Autumn - That Night in Leamington

  by Andy Cassidy

published: 1 / 8 / 2011

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While she may not have been a founding member of Mostly Autumn, Heather Findlay featured on all of their albums and had toured with the band since original vocalist Heidi Widdop left. In early 2010, Findlay announced her intention to leave to pursue a solo career and spend time with her family, and this double album is a recording of her last concert with the band. The album opens with 'Fading Colours', which sounds like it could have been written by Yes or Genesis in 1975. It has block synthesisers and a catchy guitar motif but sadly Findlay’s vocal sits very low in the mix and is overpowered by the music. Listening to 'Fading Colours', one could be forgiven for thinking that the band was formed in the 1970s such is the authenticity of their prog credentials. Despite its somewhat clichéd title, 'Flowers for Guns' could sit quite comfortably on Pink Floyd’s 'Animals' – the opening few bars are eerily reminiscent of 'Dogs' - and the backing vocals (provided by new lead vocalist Olivia Sparnenn) carry the melody particularly well. There are, in fact, instances where Sparnenn’s vocal ability eclipses Findlay’s; her voice seems stronger and her range wider. Listening to 'The Spirit of Autumn Past (Part II)' brought a smile to my face and reminded me of Jethro Tull’s 'Songs from the Wood'. The song itself is a rocking number, with a great vocal by Bryan Josh, and the track is embellished with Ian Anderson-style flute trills. Okay, it’s derivative, but it’s also good fun. For me the standout track is 'Simple Ways'. It features a great guitar solo by Bryan Josh, some fantastic drumming, great vocals and a pounding bass. It’s by no means the most complex track on the album, and perhaps it benefits from that. The second disc kicks off with the epic, piano driven 'Carpe Diem'. There is a beauty and fragility in the piano riff paired with Findlay’s voice until the band join in seamlessly around the four minute mark to great effect. Musically the second disc has a more contemporary feel than the first, with songs like 'The Dark Before the Dawn' and 'Answer the Question' showing suggestions that Mostly Autumn did not stop buying albums in 1978. The band is, however, at its best when playing pure and simple prog. One thing which sets this apart from the average live album is the audience. From the opening bars of the first song to the closing speech from Heather Findlay they are enthusiastic and loud – it’s absolutely clear that they’re having a ball. The audience also seem to be celebrating Findlay’s time with the band rather than bemoaning her departure, and the feeling one gets from the band’s performance and interaction with the audience is that they are a group of friends who have decided to go their separate ways, but want one last great gig together. One could argue that they were successful. Unlike many other live albums, 'That Night in Leamington' is not cobbled together from material recorded at a variety of shows. Where other bands release a collection of “best versions” and pass it off as a live album, 'That Night in Leamington' is a warts and all recording of the whole evening, and this lends it a vérité so often lost on albums of this type. All things considered, this is a fabulous live performance capturing a pivotal moment in a band’s career. The band’s influences are plain for anyone to hear; Pink Floyd, Genesis, Jethro Tull, Yes, and while the production might be improved (the mid-range is cluttered and muddy in places) the musicianship is faultless. Love it or loathe it, this is prog in all its glory. Personally, I’d rather listen to 'A Minstrel in the Gallery' or 'Thick as a Brick', but that’s simply my taste. On the basis of this album, I fully intend to check out more of Mostly Autumn’s material, in particular their studio work which, I suspect, will be at the very least worth a listen.

Track Listing:-

1 Fading Colours
2 Caught In A Fold
3 Flowers For Guns
4 Unoriginal Sin
5 The Spirit Of Autumn Past Part 2
6 Simple Ways
7 The Last Bright Light
8 Passengers
9 Shrinking Violet
10 Carpe Diem
11 Winter Mountain
12 The Dark Before The Dawn
13 Answer The Question
14 Nowhere To Hide
15 Half The Mountain
16 Mother Nature
17 Above The Blue
18 Heroes Never Die
19 Evergreen

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