The Owl (long form)
The Owl (long form)
Reviewed by Steve Bennett / Two Time BAFTA Winning Screenwriter And Musician
Those of us who long ago charted – and survived – the Topographic Oceans of long-form Prog tend to approach any new, unbroken seventeen-minute offering with a considerable degree of trepidation. We sense the looming inevitability of those teeth-on-edge, ‘atonal bits’ and excruciating ‘experimental sections’ seemingly designed to link the actual tunes.
Fortunately, The Owl flies way above all that. Without ever sacrificing the compositional sophistication that marks the best of the genre, Head Gardener, Martin Springett, in tandem with long-time associate and guitar wizard, Norm McPherson, has crafted a tightly structured, mini-epic that manages to sustain a spirit of invention and adventure throughout yet is always geared towards engaging the listener in the unfolding musical narrative. No alienating, spiky self-indulgence to worry about, here, folks.
The Owl – A Voice
The Owl – Memory’s Arrow
The Owl – The Siren
