DeeExpus :: Press Room


USAPROGRESSIVEMUSIC.COM Partial Review of Half Way Home 2010 by Steve Morton Full Review HERE Right out of the gate, the pulsing sequence and guitar arpeggio that opens “Greed” leads into a thunderous power guitar riff that lets you know that this album is packed with energy. The early 80s Tony Banks-style keyboard soloing at the end is just confirmation that the group’s Prog stylings are firmly rooted. Blistering guitar solos, solid drums, thumping low end and keyboards that lift Half Way Home from a solid, guitar-based prog-rock album to a full-spectrum sonic experience. Tony Wright’s vocals are the icing on the cake: expressive and powerful. If you like Porcupine Tree, Marillion or melodic power prog, you’ll like this album. With solid songwriting, quality musicianship and a ‘wall of vocals’ sound, this album is a powerhouse. 9/10

USAPROGRESSIVEMUSIC.COM Partial Review of RosFest 2010 by Mike Flavin Full Review HERE If there was ever a band that hit the ground running, it would be DeeExpus. Three gigs after the release of their debut album Half Way Home, they were off to Poland to record a live concert DVD, and then received an invite for RoSfest’s Sunday morning Church of Prog slot. There was a serious buzz about this group’s potential, and they certainly lived up to it in Gettysburg. Giving a nod to the local history, Abe Lincoln (aka Greg Briggs) introduced the band with the tale of five musicians who traveled from afar on iron horse and steel bird, after which the services began with some serious ass-kicking! DeeExpus are quite a bit heavier than most bands at Rosfest, but nobody in the audience seemed to mind; before the first number had ended, the energy level pouring from the stage was being returned to the band by the now wide-awake proggers. Not all was fun & games however; lead singer Tony Wright’s remarkably smooth voice was finally done in by a case of tonsillitis a few numbers into the set, and had to rely on some help from his guitarist brother Stevie to get through the set. There was also the deeply touching personal moment as Tony spoke of his and Stevie’s father who recently passed away and was visibly overcome with emotion, mixed with the frustration that he couldn’t sing a dedication to him as well as he would have liked. “I wanted it to be special” he remarked, but he didn’t have to worry; by that point he wasn’t the singer of a band trying to impress an audience, but person sharing a moment with 1,000 of his closest friends. Rarely does a band connect with an audience the way DeeExpus did on that Sunday morning. It was an incredible set, full of emotion and heart and some blistering sounds.

Background Magazine Review of 'Half Way Home' CD by Henri Strik (edited by Peter Willemsen) Full Review HERE While recording the album, DeeExpus was still a project and the brainchild of Andy Ditchfield (guitars, keyboards) and Tony Wright (lead vocals). They came across at the local well and started to record songs in a tiny studio supported by a couple of friends. They helped them to create an album that contains an hour of fantastic progressive rock music. Right from the start, you can hear that Steven Wilson and his band Porcupine Tree have been a big influence for Andy. He plays the same kind of guitar solos, grooves and riffs. For me the highlight on the album is the title track. This epic lasts for seventeen minutes and is an excellent piece to finish an album. It contains all the strong elements in the music of DeeExpus: great guitar and keyboards playing by Andy Ditchfield and the strong voice of Tony Wright, who gets all the room to show that he’s a fantastic singer.

Rock Times German Review of 'Far From Home' DVD Full Review HERE

Stereo Invaders Interview (Italian) Full Interview HERE

Background Magazine Review of 'Far From Home' DVD by Henri Strik (edited by Peter Willemsen) Full Review HERE On February 17 2009, three bands performed on the ProgRock Festival. DeeExpus had the task to do the warming- up for the audience before Finnish Overhead and German RPWL would hit the stage. According to the coverage of their performance during this festival, they had the audience completely on their side. That’s not strange to me, because they performed the material from their debut album Half Way Home (see review) without making hardly any mistakes. Therefore, the band deserves a big compliment, because it was their third performance ever in front of a live audience. As we can see in the documentary, they practiced a lot resulting in a concert worth watching. It goes without saying, that the sound and the images on this DVD are top-notch. You can easily leave that to the film crew of Metal Mind Records. For those who are not familiar with the music of DeeExpus, the best references I can give are Steven Wilson and Porcupine Tree, but from time to time, you can also hear hints from It Bites and Marillion.

Progressive Archives Review of 'Far From Home' DVD Full Review HERE Following the release in 2008 of the critically acclaimed (and mighty fine) DeeExpus début album "Half way home", founder Andy Ditchfield decided that it would be a good idea to play some live gigs. The only problem was that he had recorded the album virtually single handed, with vocalist Tony Wright being the only other full band member as such. Thus he set about putting together a proper band line up, calling in bassist Ian Raine and second lead guitarist, Steve Wright (Tony's brother), both of whom had made gust contributions to the studio album. The line up was completed by drummer Kev Jager and keyboard player Marc Jolliffe. The band's fist official gig took place in late 2008, but this set from February 2009, recorded in Katowice, Poland, represents the first opportunity for most of us to witness a performance the band. With only one album release to their name, it is not surprising that all the tracks from "Half way home" are included here, albeit in a completely different sequence. There is little variation from the originals, the focus being on tight renditions which capture the essence of their studio counterparts. One excellent bonus though is the inclusion of one non album track, "Red" (not the King Crimson song). This turns out to be one of the highlights of the set, the audience reaction afterwards reflecting the power and majesty of the piece. In a lighter, bizarre moment during the gig, after the song, the band ask the audience to pose for a photo taken from the stage! The main set closes with the 17 minute title track from "Half way home", a modern day prog classic indeed. The encore contains the two songs from the album not thus far performed. It seems this performance was part of a prog festival in Katowice, so the audience was not there just to see DeeExpus. On that basis, and remembering that the audience would at best be only vaguely familiar with any of the music, it is to the credit of both band and audience that the performance is received with such enthusiasm. If you have not yet had the opportunity to hear DeeExpus, I would recommend either the studio album or this live set as an excellent introduction. Whether you're a fan of Porcupine Tree, Marillion, or something more neo-symphonic such as IQ or Pendragon, the music here will undoubtedly impress. The set runs to around 70 minutes in total, with the DVD extras consisting of a lengthy documentary plus an interview with Andy Ditchfield and Tony Wright. There's also the usual text biography, discography (brief!), photos etc.

Recent Magazine Reviews of 'Far From Home' DVD Germany - Empire Magazine - Issue 90 Germany - Eclipsed - September, 2009 Netherlands - iO Pages - September, 2009 Norway - Tarkus - Issue 50 Norway - Scream Magazine - Issue 139 Hungary - Rockinform Magazine - September, 2009

Progressive Area Partial Review of 'Far From Home' by Priam DEEEXPUS a connu une sacrée montée en puissance depuis leur premier album “Half Way Home”, il y a un peu plus d’un an. Ce jeune groupe a eu un appui plus que favorable de la presse et a su en profiter pour surfer sur cette vague d’engouement. Une vague sur laquelle bon nombre de jeunes groupes auraient aimé surfer à leur tour sans trop de peine. Quoiqu’il en soit, avec un seul album à leur actif, DEEEXPUS a attiré les convoitises de Metal Mind. Un DVD “Far From Home” voit donc le jour pendant la tournée entamée en 2008 (avec un line up entretemps changé : nouveau batteur et nouveau guitariste), tournée qui est donc venue se fondre au festival Progrock 2009 en Pologne à Katowice, Wyspianski Theater, l’équivalent du Spirit of 66 mais en plus grand, of course. Pour les fans et le reste, c’est un bon moyen de découvrir le groupe sur scène. Pour moi qui suis la troupe à Andy DITCHFIELD depuis le début, c’est un plaisir, même si le bonheur de les voir en vrai m’assaille de jour en jour. La musique de DEEEXPUS draine un bon goût de prog moderne aux mélodies accrocheuses et des riffs assassins à la limite metal. Pour un premier album, le professionnalisme est de rigueur. Ce groupe va promettre, c’est indéniable et même le public Polonais est sous le charme. Frôlant un style à la SWA (Steven Wilson Academy), DEEEXPUS a le don de savoir maitriser parfaitement sa musique alliant rock, prog, heavy. Puissance et volupté. Guitare sèche, guitare acoustique sur “Pttee” qui n’est autre qu’une ôde à PORCUPINE TREE, Andy s’éclate. Ne cherchez plus, vous avez trouvé le frontman du groupe. Il bouge, secoue la tête et aussitôt dit, le reste de la troupe s’active. Si trac, angoisse, fatigue étaient présent au début du concert, tout s’est envolé comme par enchantement. Le plaisir est là et voir ces musiciens donner ce qu’ils donnent, le concert prend une autre dimension. Non seulement, on bouge avec lui mais on s’étonne d’autant euphorie grandissante au fur et à mesure des titres. Sous des lights plus qu’honorables, Tony WRIGHT laisse sa place à ses acolytes lorsque les passages instrumentaux sont plus ou moins longs et sa voix est toujours aussi nette, sauf lorsque son frère s’en mêle. Steve est aussi grand, balaise, moustachu, barbu et chauve que lui ! Des sacrés airs de ressemblance, tout sauf la voix. La tenue excentrique de Ian RAINE n’est pas sans rappeler celle de Christophe GODIN. Un vrai death métalleux accompagnant ses compères sur le devant de la scène sur le magique “Half Way Home” de plus de 17 minutes (le morceau d’anthologie). En bonus, vous allez pouvoir assister à la réalisation de l’album et même plus en 37 minutes. Une interview de Andy et de Tony de 20 minutes, in english of course. Mais sans me faire de la publicité, vous allez pouvoir retrouver ces questions et ces réponses sur l’interview in french in the web site (cool non ?). Sans oublier la Bio en musique, la discographie, les photos du concert, les wallpapers qui recouvriront vos écrans, les liens internet et le logo. Et le tout soit en 5.1 ou en vulgaire stéréo. Vous l’aurez certainement compris, je ne suis absolument pas crédible car je suis fan mais DEEXPUS c’est super bien bien en CD, mais tout aussi solide en DVD. Vivement un concert en France !

Progressia Review of 'Far From Home' DVD by Dan Tordjman Alors que l'Angleterre cultive le look des rockers en « slim » (sic) et qu’elle pleure Oasis (NdlR : rires), une belle surprise émerge de Durham. Cette formation initialement conçue comme un projet solo du guitariste Andy Ditchfield a sorti l’an dernier Half Way Home, album interprété pour l'occasion et gravé sur DVD devant le public polonais présent au Śląski Teatr de Katowice (là même où Andromeda a enregistré Playing Off the Board) lors du Progrock Festival. Techniquement, c'est un enregistrement au son limpide et équilibré où chaque instrument trouve sa place avec aisance. Musicalement, le meneur de troupe semble avoir été très marqué par Porcupine Tree, comme en témoigne « PTee » qui en porte les signatures rythmique et mélodique. Ce qui pourrait paraître un point négatif se révèle toutefois avantageux, voire séduisant. Car en dépit de leur statisme qui peut certes faire tiquer, les musiciens parviennent à hypnotiser le spectateur et à se le mettre dans la poche. Ce concert s'annonce, hélas, bien trop court et pour cause, le groupe était le premier d’une série de trois à jouer ce soir-là. Far From Home s’avère être néanmoins une très bonne entrée en matière pour découvrir les subtilités de DeeExpus. Et si Andy Ditchfield laisse la porte ouverte pour permettre à ses acolytes d'intégrer la composition, nul doute que le potentiel des Britanniques sera certainement bien mieux exploité dans sa totalité. 7/10

Progressor Partial Review of 'Far From Home' DVD by Olav M Bjornsen Full Review HERE It must have come as a big surprise for this band to be given the opportunity to make a DVD this early in their career. True enough they have one album out that has gathered quite a lot of positive attention worldwide, but as a live unit they are still pretty inexperienced. They exert a good effort for such an inexperienced crew though. That many of the musicians involved have been active in other bands and individually have previous live experience is useful of course; it is this particular unit as a whole that still has a way to go in terms of being a truly entertaining live act. There's no doubt that the band members are enjoying their spot in the limelight, which is the most interesting aspect of the concert part of this DVD. If watching a talented band finding their way as a live act fascinates one, the concert part of this production will be intriguing and fellow musicians will most likely find the performances of the instrumentalists interesting to behold. With almost one hour of bonus material documenting the band's history and answering most questions anyone might have about this act, the interest scope of this creation widens quite a bit though. Fans of this band should find plenty of material that should interest them enough to warrant purchasing the disc, and those with an interest in watching and getting to know a talented act making their way should also find this one appealing. +

YTSEJAM Partial Interview with Andy Ditchfield Full Interview HERE A new band that is now making waves amongst this scene of bands is DeeExpus, the brainchild of multi-instrumentalist, producer, & songwriter Andy Ditchfield. Having paid his dues in a multitude of bands over the years, Ditchfield, along with vocalist Tony Wright recorded the first album Half Way Home, which was well received by the thinking man's rock masses; so well that they were quickly invited to play in Poland to film their live DVD, Far From Home - not bad for something that started out as a "one man band." So now, as a full-band has taken shape, a live dates are on the horizon, and a musical focus set on Ditchfiled's vision, the founder speaks about DeeExpus, how it all took shape, the big event in Poland, and what might come about from the band's upcoming record that is in the works... Of course, one listen to Half Way Home you can hear that the melodic approach to the new era of prog-rock has been taken, and when hearing the performance on Far from Home you hear that there is certainly something for the 'neo' crowd (& beyond), although these guys are not a Marillion carbon copy; and this day and age, you have bands such as Darwin's Radio, Frost*, & Tinyfish that are reinventing the prog-rock mantra, DeeExpus is be no exception, but it's Ditchfield's love of all types of music that has given him the melodic touch toward this sophisticated tuneful approach as he elaborates, "I haven’t been a life long fan of one particular genre of music, including Prog, and I don’t claim to know a lot of the bands in and around the scene. One thing that is becoming very apparent is the diversity of bands that make this genre so very interesting and appealing. The follow up to Half Way Home is in the works right now, it will be more collaborative, as Ditchfield played everything on the first, he hints that the band will mostly be playing their own parts on this one - he does not really have an idea on what he wants to do, everything changes day to day, hence the whole idea of being progressive in thinking is also taking shape, " Once again, I have no idea of how its going to pan out," I have no vision as such only to make an album that manages to follow Half Way Home." explains Ditchfield, "The new album is presently a work in progress and there are various songs and ideas in different stages. We have one song finished, one almost finished and about 8 other ideas including another epic track which I'm hoping will rival Half Way Home. I like to work early in the morning when everyone else is in bed and find I'm far more productive if I don’t feel I should be doing something else. Consequently, its back to solitude and 4.30am starts for me. " And all of this up to DeeExpus has helped him build his musical might, "I think my confidence has grown a lot especially in my lead playing," says Ditchfield, "I've never considered myself to be a fabulous guitarist but I'm writing more and more challenging stuff and somehow I seem to manage to play it! I love playing Bass too, and fortunately Ian is more than happy to let me write his parts. I'm certainly evolving as a musician but its production where my heart lies." At this time, DeeExpus is his main gig, and the new record will be his main focus, there is interest in working with other artists as he concludes, "Before DeeExpus I used to go out and mix a few live bands which I really enjoyed but now I simply just don’t have the time. I would love to produce a band that I don’t play in but until the day job releases me from its grasp, Ill just have to wait."

Norway Rock Magazine Review of 'Far From Home' DVD by Stig Rune Robertsen Med bare cet album på samvittigheten og en besetning som har spilt sammen et halvår er det mildt sagt ambisiosr å spilIe inn en dvd. Det er Iikevel vanskelig å takke nei når Metal Mind kommer med tilbudet. Dette et bandets tredje konsert noen sinne og ble filmet under en progrock festival i Polen i februar. Konsertsalen er velkjent, da den er blitt brukt til flere innspillinger i regi Metal Mind. Dette er sannsynligvis ikke den eneste dvd—en som kommer fra festivalen heller, kjenner jeg dem rett... Bandet vil nok ikke vedkjenne seg å være en del av den brittiske neo prog—scenen, men likhetstrekkene er mange. Selv om de alle er scenevante musikere godt opp i ãrene, virker de 1ikevel litt anspente og preget av stundens alvor. Vokalisten har omtrent like mye sceneutstråling SOm en sekk nypoteter, men gjør en grei jobb selv om er litt småsurt til tider. Enda verre blir det tnår resten av bandet korer. De spiller hele debutalbumet, “Half Way Home” og en eldre låt, kalt “Red”. Denne er faktisk av bedre låtene, etter min menig. I tillegg får du et lengre inertvju med bakman Andy Ditchfield og vokalist Tony Wright. Noen tullete opptak fra innspillingen av albumet, slippkonsert og øving er selvfølgelig også inkludert.

Aardschok Magazine Review of 'Far From Home' DVD by Joost Boley Met welgeteld twee optredens op de teller is DeeExpus al naar Polen afgereisd voor DVD-op-names.Het moet niet gekker worden. En he rustieke Wyspianski-theatre in Katowice dient,inmiddels bijna vanzelfsprekend, als decor voor het vastgelegde optreden van deze Britse progressieve rockers. DeeExpus heeft, met het niet onaardige ‘Half Way Home’ (2008), pas één album uitgebracht, dus de samenstelling van de setlist, bestaande uit acht nummers, zal vermoedeliik niet tot verhitte discussies hebben geleid. De groep, onder aanvoering van de ervaren gitarist - en tevens bandoprichter Andy Ditchfield - heeft kennelijk veel tijd in de oefenruimte doorgebracht, want het geheel komt vrij solide over.Alleen de podiumpresentatie van zanger Tony Wright is ronduit houterig te noemen. En ook vocaal laat hij geregeld een steekje vallen. Maar het songmateriaal, dat elementen van Porcupine Tree, het oude Threshold, Spock’s Beard en Marillion bevat, kan redelijk boeien. Zeker het pittige gitaarwerk is niet verkeerd. Net als de fraaie luchtshots van de cameracrew en de smaakvolle belichting trouwens. Wie meer over DeeExpus wil weten kan nog terecht bij de korte film ‘The Journey Home’ en het interview met Andy Ditchfield en Tony Wright. Best interessante extraatjes.

Sweden Rock Magazine Review of 'Far From Home' DVD by Jukka Paananen Dot är februari I år och med endast en CD och två liveframträdanden iryggon står brittiska enseinblen DEEEXPUS på soon under Prog Rock Festival i Katowice, Polen. Bandets primus motor, multiinstrumentalisten Andy Ditchfield, leder sextetten genom en avspånd konsert där FROST möter PORCUPINE TREE. Låtarna byggs upp metodiskt utan större åthävor från musikerna, och när slöjan lyfts efter några lyssningar blottas en subtil form av vemodig mysprogg. Vissa av låtarna orkar dock inte riktigt lyfta i det makliga tempot och emedan jag är tillfredsställd under tiden som musiken spelas minns jag inte mycket annat än de båda inledande PORCUPINE TREE doftande låtarna, “Greed” och “Pttee”, när showen är över. Ett album till i bagaget hade definitivt berikat repertoaren, men som presentation av ett lovande band i sin gryning är “Far from Home” klart sevrärd. En dokumentär skildrar tillblivelsen av fina debutverket “Halt Way Home”, men i övrigt uppdagas inget ntt bland menyerna.

Let It Rock Review of 'Far From Home' DVD Review HERE There's something engaging in the seriousness that this band go about their business with, even though the refrain of the opener, "Greed", serves alienation with the threatening "I don't care" refrain. With each player in an invisible bubble of his own, they're chained musically, and what little visual contact between the six is, it feels precious. The right flank looking metal solid - two bald heads and two beards, one, bassist Ian Raine's, multicolored - and the left bookish, a nice poise reigns in the balance between hard rock and prog drifts, rather dramatically in the grandiose, heart-wrenching "Half Way From Home". But while the aural cloth is thick, the air the sextet create comes loose, which is so clear in the momentum-gaiming "One 8" with its rich texture and guitar duet, the leader Andy Ditchfield's acoustic adding a layer of delicious lightness to the overall gloomy outlook. The more the show progresses the higher is the tunefulness quotient, and by "Pointless Child", when the initial ice breaks around singer Tony Wright's charm, one sense total emotional immersion in the proceedings and the pull of vocal harmonies. And when they ask, "Should I stay or should I fly away?", in the magic closer "7 Nights", parting ways seems out of question. With the DVD, anyway.

Babyblaue Partial Review of 'Far From Home' DVD by Wolfram Ehrhardt Full Review HERE Das Konzert beginnt auch – nach einem Introfilm mit ihren speziellen alten Zapfsäulen - äußerst stimmungsvoll in blauem Licht und mit sphärischen Tönen, bis dann einfach geradlinig losgerockt wird. Symptomatisch für den Opener „Greed“ sowie für das überwiegende Konzert ist eine druckintensive sowie gefühlvolle Performance, wobei das gekonnte Gitarrenspiel von Leader Andy Ditchfield mit vorzüglichem Rocksound im Vordergrund steht. Aber auch die Keyboardtöne mit einigen flirrenden Synthesizerklängen sowie rhythmusbetonter Tastenlaute dürfen sich hin und wieder richtig melden. Leisere Klangräume, akustische Passagen und Balladeskes sind auch immer wieder zu hören, bis dann wieder Gas gegeben wird. Zuweilen ertönt auch mehrstimmiger Gesang.

Prog Archives Partial Review of the Gig at The Peel by 'Blacksword' Full Review HERE This was my fist encounter with DeeExpus, and I was blown away. DeeExpus played an energised set, driven along by a powerful rhythm section, and some great lead guitar work. I entered the venue half way through their first song, and postponed going to the bar for some time, seduced by their energy and great rapport with the crowd. For me two songs really stood out, 'Red' which apparently had been written some time ago, but in light of the events of 9/11, had taken on a new and poignant meaning. Also, the lengthy title track from their debut album 'Half way home' about losing someone close, really struck a chord with me. I bought their album at the gig and will be keeping an eye out for them. I dont like comparing bands to other specifc bands, and will refrain from doing so here, suffice to say that DeeExpus will not dissapoint anyone with a taste for powerful guitar driven progressive rock, and passionate songwriting.

Ragazzi Partial Review 'Far From Home' DVD Full Review HERE Ihre beeindruckend ausgedehnten Songs haben schöne, satte Gitarren- und Keyboardsoli, sind überwiegend auf den Gesang orientiert, der partiell in tollen Chorharmonien gesungen wird. Besondere Komplexe finden nicht statt. Heavy Gitarren, grooviger Rhythmus von komplex gespieltem Schlagzeug und schönem, druckvollem, sattem Bass und melodische Keyboardsounds bauen den lyrischen Sound, der trotz einiger Härtegrade eher balladesk zu nennen ist und die bis zu 18 Minuten langen Songs nicht zum Suchtzentrum für Freakspezialisten, sondern für die harmonische Prog-Abteilung macht, die gern sanfte Töne mit druckvoller, fast metallischer Härte verwoben mag.

Unprogged: progressive rock & metal Partial Review 'Far From Home' DVD by Marco Gregori Full Review HERE DeeExpus Project è destinato a diventare una delle punte di diamante della label polacca: il gruppo inglese, correndo parallelo ma non tangente alla traiettoria di Porcupine Tree, Frost e It Bites, sta fornendo un contributo decisivo al rinnovamento del genere di competenza. Intorno a un nucleo pop, reso deliziosamente catchy dal bellissimo timbro di Tony, si irradiano cerchi concentrici di heavy chitarristico tagliente e corposo, creando una nuova miscela che dall'epicentro melodico esplode piena d'energia in una dinamica progressione, ricca di originali e compiuti spunti di tastiera, irrefrenabili ed esuberanti trame batteristiche, risaltanti e fluide tessiture al basso.

Music in Belgium Partial Review 'Far From Home' DVD by Jean-Pierre Lhoir Full Rview HERE Après un seul album, DeeExpus fait donc l'expérience d'un DVD. C'est rapide et pourtant très réussi. Il faut dire que les images de l'équipe de Metal Mind sont parfaites, le son aussi d'ailleurs, même si l'on regrette de ne pas mieux entendre la guitare acoustique d'Andy. C'est donc une excellente façon de découvrir ce nouveau groupe, surtout si vous n'avez pas encore l'album studio. Du côté des bonus, on trouve un documentaire retraçant leur courte histoire, l'interview d'Andy Ditchfield et Tony Wright, ainsi qu'une galerie photos. Ce DVD de DeeExpus est donc idéal pour la découverte d'un groupe dont les influences sont à chercher du côté de Porcupine Tree, Riverside, Pendragon et Marillion. De plus, ils semblent s'être encore bonifié depuis la réalisation de leur opus studio. Nul doute qu'on va encore parler d'eux. Ils préparent d'ailleurs leur prochain album qu'ils comptent une fois encore réaliser eux-mêmes, sans pression donc. Un groupe à suivre !

RockReport Partial Review 'Far From Home' DVD Full Review HERE This is the first DVD of the very promising prog rockers DeeExpus from the UK! This talented band has so far released only one studio album, but they can easily say that the future looks bright for them. With their superb performance at the first edition of the Prog Rock Festival at the Wyspianski theatre in Katowice (Poland), the band members show that they do have much to say on the progrock scene. DeeExpus’s music constitutes a modern approach to the genre, more rock oriented and catchy, yet formed with undeniable finesse and attention to sound and musical nuances. Their sound is as eclectic as their influences, drawn from years of listening to such acts like Joe Jackson, Iron Maiden, It Bites, Crash Test Dummies, Rush, Nik Kershaw, Marillion and recently - Porcupine Tree and Spock’s Beard. If you happen to think that progrock is an old and stagnant genre, DeeExpus are surely going to prove you’re wrong!

Zicazic Partial French Review 'Far From Home' DVD by Fred Delforge Full Review HERE DeeExpus sait mettre de la vigueur dans ses créations et ne se prive jamais de mettre cette capacité première en valeur au gré de morceaux qui serpentent astucieusement autour d’une paire de guitares virtuoses auxquelles il est difficile de résister. Filmée dans le désormais célèbre Wyspianski Theatre, nouveau fief du prog en Pologne, la prestation des Anglais bénéficie d’images de très bonne qualité et d’un son tout à fait honorable qui donne aux compos une véritable dimension dans laquelle chaque note de claviers, chaque frappe de batterie et chaque trémolo dans la voix transparaissent de façon très juste. On se laisse emmener dans le répertoire de DeeExpus qui nous propose une relecture intégrale quelque peu réorganisée de son excellent premier effort dans lequel on remarque des titres typiquement porcupiniens comme « Greed » ou « Pttee » et d’autres beaucoup plus teintés rock comme « One 8 » ou « 7 Nights », le lien étant définitivement tissé par l’épique tittle track dudit album, « Half Way Home », une pure merveille de rock progressif pleine de nuances, de force et de finesse. En tenant à la scène toutes les promesses qu’il avait laissé entrevoir lors de son passage en studio, DeeExpus confirme que le public a eu le nez fin en le positionnant en bonne position dans la liste des groupes progressifs actuels. Restera à confirmer avec un deuxième opus mais en attendant l’heure est au live, et quel live !

MOVEMENTIprog Partial Review 'Far From Home' DVD Full Review HERE Un pout-pourri d'influenze che il calderone dei DeeExpus sa ben cuocere, e lo hanno ben saputo dimostrare nel loro album di debutto intitolato “Halfway Home” (2008). L'etichetta polacca Metal Mind non si fa sfuggire alle orecchie questa ottima band prog inglese e la invita alla prima edizione del Prog Rock Festival tenutosi nell'autunno 2008 a Katowice, al solito Teatro Wyspianski. La Metal Mind immortala in dvd anche questa esibizione e la pubblica con il titolo “Far From Home”. I DeeExpus non deludono le aspettative. Ottima band e bella musica. Uno show tirato in cui vengono eseguiti tutti i brani del primo album della band. Da “Greed”, “Pttee”, “One 8”, “Pointless Child”, fino a chiudere con grandi pezzi come “Halfway Home”, “One Day” e “7 Nights”. Un bonus video documentario completa il dvd, “The Journey Home”, mentre un'approfondita intervista a Ditchfield e Wright fa luce sulle origini e la carriera dei DeeExpus. Discografia, biografia, weblinks e quant'altro chiudono il cerchio di questo bel dischetto. Ancora un buon prodotto dalla fucina Metal Mind.

BlogCritics Partial Review 'Far From Home' DVD by Paul Roy Full Review HERE When I heard that DeeExpus had recorded their performance at the first annual Progrock Festival in Poland earlier this year for an upcoming concert DVD release, it immediately jumped to the top of my must review list. It's one thing to be able to throw together a debut album as good as Half Way Home, but to be able to play this challenging music live after only a few months worth of rehearsals is another thing entirely. This was only their third live show to date. The setlist featured all seven songs from the Half Way Home CD, as well as a previously unreleased ballad that Ditchfield had written about six years ago called "Red." They kick off the proceedings with the opening Half Way Home track, "Greed," and this was a wise choice. It is the heaviest track on the CD, and it is also my favorite. DeeExpus sounds very similar to Porcupine Tree on their debut, and this is not just a coincidence. Andy Ditchfield was so moved by a recent PT concert he attended, that he wrote the song "PTtee" to commemorate the experience. This 10-minute monster of a tribute borrows from several signature PT riffs and melodies, while also laying the groundwork for his band's own emerging style. I cant wait to see where this style takes them. The highlight of the show for me was the epic Half Way Home title track, which was used to close their first set. Although it exceeds 17 minutes in length, it never bogs down for a second. The band returns for an encore that begins with the short piano and acoustic guitar instrumental, "One Day," and then closes with the most infectious track on the album, "7 Nights." The song begins with a rollicking bass line that is surrounded by some of the most delightful melodies and vocal harmonies on the album, before eventually rocking out into something that would have fit nicely on any Dream Theater album. The debut CD from DeeExpus already had me excited about what these guys could do next, and 'Far From Home' certainly serves to reinforce that thought. Performance: 8/10 Production: 9/10

Thumbrella Partial Review 'Far From Home' DVD & Listening Party by Gary Full Review HERE Although I was at the listening party for DeeExpus' debut CD "Half Way Home" and I wrote the first review here I hadn't seen the band play so I was very pleased when I got an invite to this exclusive gig at The Ship Inn, Middlestone Village last night. The band were running through their set prior to their gig at Cambridge Rock Festival next weekend and were introducing their new drummer Henry Rogers too. When I arrived there were many familiar faces and even more arrived as the crowd expanded to maybe 30 or 40 invited guests. The band had taken over one end of the upstairs room as a stage. Around 8 o'clock, vocalist Tony Wright took the stage to make a brief announcement about the evening's proceedings. First up was the showing of the "Extras" section of the recent DVD release "Far From Home" - as I don't have a copy of the DVD yet I hadn't seen this before so it was quite interesting, amusing and informative too. After this section of the DVD finished, the band took the stage and the invited guests squashed together in the small room so as not to miss a thing. The setlist comprised 5 of the 8 songs from the CD "Half Way Home", with a Porcupine Tree cover which didn't sound out of place - and a debut performance for a new song "Me & My Downfall". So, what to say? Well, there's only one word - AWESOME. The sound, the playing by everybody, Tony's vocals, the vocal harmonies particularly impressed me, the songs of course (including new track "Me & My Downfall" which bodes well for the second album), young Henry on drums playing a blinder and grinning from ear to ear at times; all of these things and more came together in that special way to make this one of those gigs that I'll be proud to say I attended. I was sorry that I hadn't seen DeeExpus before, but in the next few years when DeeExpus are big across the world (they've already been to Poland, of course and they play in the US next May) those of us who were at The Ship Inn will be able to look back with a warm glow and say "I remember when ..."

Classic Rock Magazine Album Review by Geoff Barton Here's an intriguing story for you. Guitarist/keyboardist Andy Ditchfield - the brains behind the peculiarly named DeeExpus Project - had all but given up playing music when he had what can only be described as an epiphany at a Porcupine Tree concert. The prickly arboreal proggers renewed Ditchfield's faith in music - so much so that after the show he went straight to the merchandise stall and bought a T-shirt. It even inspired him to write a song about the experience titled PTtee (geddit?). From the deceptively laid-back vocals to the tazer-zap bursts of guitar, it's no surprise that Half Way Home leans heavily on Steven Wilson's shoulders. But this ain't no blatant example of Porc-y plagiarism; DeeExpus offer a less highly strung and arguably more commercial experience. A smattering of swooping, Styx-alike keyboard playing is an added bonus. The album climaxes with the 17-minute title track, a bittersweet (not so say tragic) love song that could almost be described as the Co. Durham band's Kayleigh.

Prog Archives Partial Album Review Full Review HERE DeeExpus is the brainchild of the multi-talented Andy Ditchfield. Originally a solo project, this their debut album really began to take shape when Ditchfield was re-acquainted with vocalist Tony Wright in 2007. The two set to work in Ditchfield's recently complete home studio writing and recording what would become "Half way home". The result is a quite astonishing debut, full of confidence and quality. We open with "Greed", a highly melodic number with a heavy rhythm base supporting some fine guitar and keyboards. Wright's vocal talents come through on the slightly softer "Pointless child". The lyrics offer a cynical view on a soured relationship ("What you need is therapy"), with Ditchfield adding some superb lead guitar as the anger builds. " PTtee" again features Wilson like guitar riffs, the alliterate story actually conveying itself rather well. The track features some pleasing piano over the striking riffs. At over 12 minutes, this magnificent piece forms one of the (many) highlights of the album. "One eight" includes a highly original concept, where eight friends are referred to simply by the numbers one through to eight. The story of an event involving the octet is told rather cryptically, against another supremely melodic backdrop climaxing in a frantic guitar solo. The 17 minute title track closes the album. The song draws in the various styles and sounds which have made up the album thus far, creating a composition of true depth and maturity. "Half way home" is a magnificent statement of intent from Andy Ditchfield and indeed DeeExpus. The album projects a quality and completeness which other bands may strive for for many years. Highly recommended.

Eurorock Partial Album Review by Jeff Perkins Full Review HERE Half Way Home represents the aforementioned passion with an album of solid, well written, and sometimes epic prog. “PTtee”, the unashamed acknowledgment of all things Steven Wilson and PT, unfolds in a way that has you believing that DeeExpus Project is a band that has been around for a lot longer. The keyboard work and its intertwining with the guitar are exquisitely done. Like the entire album, this track is both expertly paced and finely balanced. The album ends with the huge, epic, yet perfectly formed title track. Clocking in at just over seventeen minutes, “Half Way Home” is an excellent piece of prog majesty set amid a tragic love story. This track confirms everything that has gone before on the album. It completes the picture, satisfies any desire for the epic, underlines the band's intentions, and leaves you wanting a lot more. When Andy Ditchfield walked into that Porcupine Tree concert it was clearly meant to be. That magical inspiration provided the spark that led to this exceptional debut. I am sure that this is a band we will be hearing a lot more of, and, I hope, a lot more from.

Komodo Rock Partial Album Review by PMSBULL Full Review HERE The brainchild of the incredibly talented multi-instrumentalist Andy Ditchfield, The DeeExpus Project has become the subject of deserved attention from both local and international press. Ditchfield shows a masterful command of the art of songwriting, and seizing the opportunity to work with singer and former childhood friend Tony Wright has given voice to an album that leaves me in absolutely no doubt this band is going to become a monster. 'Closing title track 'Half Way Home' is IMO a masterpiece of modern progressive rock, seventeen minutes of sheer brilliance that would stand comparisons against even Marillion's best efforts, and across the album both guitar and keyboards compare to Steve Rothery and Mark Kelly at their finest, not to mention some excellent drumming.' 'Likened elsewhere to Porcupine Tree (whom the song 'PTtee' pays reference to) and Spock's Beard, we may only just be into the beginning of February but this is IMO already a contender for album of the year. BUY IT NOW !' Overall Rating: 9.2 Artwork: 8.0 Production: 8.0 Music Quality: 10.0 Lyrics: 10.0

Rogues Gallery Album Review by Frans Keylard "Half Way Home" is the debut album by UK's DeeExpus Project. Musically, "Half Way Home" occupies a rare crossroads between the progressive guitar-rock territory carved out by Porcupine Tree's "In Absentia" and the exquisite pop sensibilities of a-ha's "Minor Earth, Major Sky." This album delivers big on memorable moments, and begs further exploration during successive listens. I just can't get over how surprisingly solid this release is, considering it's a debut album. Throughout there is excellent songwriting, timing, and musicianship - nothing is wasted. Half Way home is a contender for one of the year's best releases, and I will be surprised if this band remains unsigned for long! Highly recommended!

Zeitgeist, an idiosyncratic collection of music news and reviews Partial Album Review By Stuart A Hamilton Full Review HERE Blimey! That was a bit good. And, amazingly enough, it's the debut album from DeeExpus Project, despite being accomplished enough to sit in the discography section of any number of name prog bands. This release sits firmly in the middle of the progressive rock world bookended by Porcupine Tree and Marillion, replete with harmonies and melodies that have come with Mr Ditchfield from his AOR past. Although the music is complex enough for the most hardened progster, it, like early Steve Hogarth era Marillion, has a catchy tune embedded firmly at the centre. The band never stray into the territory of extended arpeggios and showy paradiddles, just because they can. The technical aspects here form an intrinsic part of the music, rather than being verse-chorus-verse-show off here-verse-chorus. The highlights are many, although I was particularly taken with the extremely catchy 'Pointless Child'. And geeks of a certain persuasion will take no, um, persuading to spend many hours ensconced in the self explanatory 'PTtee'. Fans of the epic are also taken care of with the mighty title track, seventeen minutes long and a not a second wasted. It's certainly one of the best prog releases of the year, and they really should be snapped up by one of the scenes major players. Miss this at your peril!

Vanguard Church Blog "My Top 10 Albums of 2008" by Bob Robinson 5. DeeExpus Project – Half Way Home I was introduced to this band during a break at this past summer’s 3 Rivers Progressive Rock Festival by the organizer of NEARFest. He played it on his car’s stereo for a bunch of us who were tailgating between shows. DeeExpus Project actually “out-porcupine-trees” Porcupine Tree with this album! (see #7 below) "Greed" is the best song of the year. But "PTTee" (an ode to the greatness of Porcupine Tree, especially their album Deadwing, one of the best of all time) comes in a close second. Pointless Child is haunting and beautiful - with harmonies singing of a despairing relationship.

Dutch Progressive Rock Page Partial Album Review by Geoff Feakes FFull Review HERE I really cannot recommend this album highly enough, as debuts go it’s quite remarkable. In fact the sound is so brimming with confidence it would be easy to except that Ditchfield and co had been recording and performing as a unit for several years. Ditchfield’s memorable songs (with One Eight and the title track co-written with Wright) have all the requisite hooks to keep even the most casual of listeners engaged. And his rock solid production is so good it had me checking the liner notes to see if a certain Karl Groom wasn’t at the helm. The drum sound in Pointless Child for example is awesome. DeeExpus have recently settled into a working line up of Tony Wright, Andy Ditchfield, Steve Wright, Ian Raine plus Leigh Crowther (drums) and Andrew Hart (keyboards). They plan to go out on the road very soon and I strongly suggest you catch them if can. They would certainly be an ideal band for the stage of the Rotherham based Classic Rock Society. As a parting thought I’m going to add Spock’s Beard and Threshold to the above names as a further point of reference. Conclusion: 9.5 out of 10

The Laser's Edge Album Review New UK modern progressive rock band that I'm going to brazenly tag as "neo". This odd named band was put together by multi-instrumentalist Andy Ditchfield but it later evolved into a living breathing gigging outfit. I've seen comparisons to Porcupine Tree but I don't really hear much of that. It fits nicely alongside the recent works of Marillion and Spock's Beard. There are some nice atmospheric keys here but its primarily guitar driven music. The band's strongest suit is that they never lose sight of melody - not even on the 17 minute title track. Oh yeah...I think vocalist Tony Wright kicks ass. This guy can sing!

Music In Begium Belgian Album Review (English Translation to Follow) Voilà un premier album très réussi pour un projet dont on a vraiment envie qu'il continue, car il y a là un fameux potentiel. Si vous aimez Porcupine Tree, Riverside, Pendragon ou Marillion, il vous faut écouter cette galette de grande qualité.

Big Bang Magazine French Progressive Music Magazine Issue No 71 Album Review (English Translation to Follow)

ArtRock.PL Polish Album Review by Mariusz Danielak (English Translation to Follow)

Mały Leksykon Wielkich Zespołów ("A Small Lexicon of Great Bands") Polish Album Review by Artur Chachlowski (English Translation to Follow)

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Indioglossia Muzikreviews German Album Review by Jochen König (English Translation to Follow) 13 out of 15

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Rockarea.eu Polish Album Review (English Translation to Follow)

Progressive Area (French Progressive Site) Album Review by Priam Translation by Stephen Hart Link to Actual: HERE Link to Interview (English version half way down page): HERE It’s a little over a year since Dee Expus were unleashed upon MySpace and now here they are, full of innocent enthusiasm, with their very first album, “Half Way Home”. In reminiscence, this English group came into being when Andy Ditchfield (the brains of the outfit and multi-instrumentalist) met childhood friend and singer Tony Wright in a bar. A few beers later, the matter was closed, the duo had very quickly formed a genuine group. Ideally, it would be better to point out everything that Andy Ditchfield was brought up to at the prestigious Steven Wilson Academy (S.W.A). And yes, he’s going to count one more fan amongst the ranks. My God it’s good to listen to Dee Expus’ Rock Pop Prog. We’re not exaggerating anything, Dee Expus aren’t simply a poor copy of the great Porcupine Tree. “Inspired” would be a more appropriate term. In a similar vein, they’re a far cry form the Dutch group Balloon or Abigail’s Ghost from America to mention but a few. Then again, the opening track could have me regretting my comments in acknowledging the emanating influence of the S.W.A. The subtle mix between the two gives birth to a masterful sound from the guitar, as do the stylistic vocals used in the piece. However, listening more closely, it turns out that Dee Expus’ music is, on the face of it, tainted by numerous references to Porcupine Tree, but in the padding it’s Ditchfield who gives the piece something which leaves you wanting more. The little personal touches with the frequent short guitar solos of which you become quite fond, really hit home. It’s that little individual magic touch. Furthermore, even the basic “Pointless Child” has its own distinctive charm. Very melodic, allow yourself to be carried away by the infectious and contagious joy that seizes you. Above all, don’t make a big fuss when listening to “PTtee, ” and its twelve-minute glowing tribute paid to Steven Wilson, some chords of which you will be familiar. That’s how it’s supposed to be!! Andy Ditchfield is a fan and he makes it known by sharing with us his interest in his favorite group, to which this neat and effective track is powerful testimony. No fly in the Dee Expus’ ointment then, and its certainly not the closing title track that is going to make me say otherwise, with its full ten minutes of surprise and progression. Even the artwork is meticulous. The only drawback to the booklet is the space reserved for the lyrics...a word of advice, provide yourselves with a good magnifying glass. But we won’t quibble over such a minor point. So, turn up the volume a little and let yourselves be seduced and swept away by the music of Dee Expus. An up and coming group, I’m convinced of it.

Home of Rock (German Rock Webzine) Album Review by Ralph ‘Jogi’ Ruhenstroth Translation by Regina Engel Link to Actual: HERE This is actually a two-man-project, a singer and a multi-instrumentalist. Mastermind Andy Ditchfield amplified himself for the stage and you can already listen to a part of the Live-line-up on the disc called “Half Way Home”. DeeExpus Project are from County Durham in Great Britain. Andy Ditchfield started his career in a local metal band called HOLOSADE. Even better known is the fact that he was one of the founders of REAL McCABE in 1993, but 7 years later Lee McCabe decided to continue his music career on his own. In a pub - where else?- Ditchfield met again singer Tony Wright with whom he had made music before. DEE EXPUS PROJECT was born. The expecting fan of music can listen to excellent and at any case fully developed compositions on this debut. In many areas they rock straight away and then again you find progressive parts in the details. Although Retro would be a completely wrong term for that, people who like the melodic hard tunes of THESHOLD will know what I mean. But also PORCUPINE TREE and MARILLION shimmer though every now and again. Apart from that the guitars and the keys dominate the songs of course. The singing of Tony Wright seems elegant, harmonic and is perfectly embedded into all parts of the album. Especially it makes the whole thing easy to listen to for everybody. All in all we get a mix which is probably too simple for the “proggie“ whereas the “rocker” who likes it minimalistic would prefer to do without one or the other twirl/curlicue. But now I’m coming to my conclusion (and I obviously know what I’m talking about - and who dares to contradict me? of course none of us ignorant people of the editorial staff): “Half Way Home” has become a great thing which I extremely enjoyed from the first to the last Minute. Earthy guitar sounds, roaring organs and pin sharp synthesizer reign the Opener Greed, Pointless Child makes a conglomerate of new Artrock and AOR which I hadn't considered possible. The first true highlight is PTee with its captivating guitars, the atmospheric vocal at the beginning, a trace of SAGA in the keyboard lines and lots of similarities to the already mentioned PORCUPINE TREE in recent times. One Eight is absolutely fit for the charts and could be from an American melodic rock group such as BOSTON. And as it often happens the best comes at the end. Half Way Home, after all 17 minutes long, is THE mix par excellence. Hard and full, firm classic rock, sometimes a bit metallic, with melancholic pianos and much atmosphere. DEE EXPUS PROJECT hit the point, don’t get lost in the Nirvana of common epic sounds but feature ageless and challenging rock music to the listener until the end. Slightest weaknesses decrease the points from ten to nine, if the Home of Rock would give this mark, but apart from that - respect!

Hardsounds Italian Album Review (English Translation to Follow)

thumbrella.blogspot.com Review by Gary Grainger Link to actual: HERE A couple of years ago I spent a Sunday afternoon getting very wet taking photos of a band in Witton Le Wear. The bass player in that band was Andy Ditchfield, and it is he who is the main man behind the DeeExpus Project. He's had his chance at being a rock star with The Real McCabe; when that went west he quit music, then heard some Porcupine Tree and was reinvigorated. He's been working on this album for some time now, as well as trying to recruit a band that could do it justice in a live setting. The album "Half Way Home" is released on June 1st, and I was amongst a select audience yesterday who attended the CD Launch and Listening party. Now, I've listened and relaxed to my fair share of progressive rock in my time, but it isn't my usual music of choice and doesn't feature at all on my ipod. But I'd heard a few of these tracks in their nascent forms on the band's website and MySpace page, and I liked what I heard. It is clear that Andy is a highly talented guy, also a guy who is passionate about music; passionate about this music in particular. In his home studio, with some help from a few friends - especially Tony Wright on lead vocals - but mainly on his own, he has crafted songs that are interesting in so many ways - lyrically, musically and melodically. These certainly aren't 3 minute "verse chorus verse bridge chorus" throwaway tunes - there's nothing throwaway about any of this - the songs certainly repay repeated listening - I'm hearing new things every time I listen to the CD. At the launch yesterday Andy told the stories behind the songs - and that was interesting, but for me the best part of the day (apart from the food!) was being able to listen to the album at a great listening volume. (All I needed was a comfy chair and my favourite relaxant - Rooibos Tea, in case you wonder, and it would have been ideal). The album opens with Greed, a synth line starts, soon followed by a mighty riff doubled on guitar and bass. There's some great keyboards here and a great guitar solo by Phil Sloane. Tony Wright's vocals are clear over the changes, soaring at times. A good solid intro to the album - confident, needing to be taken seriously. Pointless Child follows - a little more relaxed tempo to start with in this tale of lost love. Some clever backing vocals help to give the song plenty of interest. There's a Kershaw-ish melody in the middle of this song - Andy cites Nik Kershaw as one of his influences, and whilst I don't know a lot of Kershaw's work, I can feel that influence here. Another great guitar solo, by Andy this time, and another good song finishes. Now I would guess that there aren't that many songs written about t-shirts! But the next track, PTtee is one of them. It tells the tale of a Porcupine Tree gig that blew Andy's mind, inspired him to start creating music again - and the t-shirt that he bought there. I'm not familiar with Porcupine Tree's work, so can't compare any influence that they've had on this track, but I do know that musically it is another excellent track - a great guitar riff and a glockenspiel line that I can whistle! Track 4 is "One Eight" a piece written after observing a group of people in a hotel bar. Quite plaintive to me to start with, at times it sounds as if, despite the sentiments in the words, the writer actually might have liked to be a part of this group of 8 friends. But just for a little while. A blistering guitar solo from Phil Sloane moves this song along nicely at the end. One Day is a short piano and guitar instrumental piece leading into Seven Nights, a song that Andy dedicated to his partner Hil. More good vocal harmonies here, great melodies (both vocal and instrumental) and the excellent, ever present rhythm section. At the CD party yesterday singer Tony Wright told the moving tale of the album's title track Half Way Home and a series of tragic events that surrounded him at the time he wrote it. It was a very moving few moments. The song tells the tale of a schoolfriend of Tony's, Jill. The song starts with a great guitar riff, then another one (where do they get these ideas from?) before the lyrics, wistful and nostalgic for times gone by, start the tale. We sit together in I.T. class, Me and Her, in nineteen eighty something. Bits and Bytes playing second drum, To our own curriculum. We laugh and we joke, we live on a Prayer. So early days, no burden, no care. Everyone is in awe of her. Perfect Beauty, I swear. Behind the smile and Beautiful eyes, A pain lies dormant, a deep hurt resides. She didn’t know it, couldn’t have a clue. What lay in store, and what she might do. The tragic tale unfolds around us, swathed in haunting strings, broken by a fabulous guitar solo by Tony's brother, Steve, and a clever use of spoken word about tragedy, loss and stress. As we come to the denouncement of the piece, it seems that the end result is inevitable - we know how this will end: She stands broken on the viaduct, on a cold and lonely night. Holds her wedding band into her palm ‘til she feels the edges bite. Salt water and mascara, track the canvas of her face, A blurred painting in a gallery, she doesn’t seem to place. The weather vane creaking to her right, suggests, persuades, directs. The taxis drift behind her; a cortège of funeral guests. She takes one last look into herself, what she’s become. The penultimate rush of finality, here, yet only half way home. As I said earlier, progressive rock isn't my music of choice, but this is a very, very good album. The standard of musicianship is faultless, the lyrics and arrangements are stunning, the whole sound of the album is exactly right - solid bass and drums, excellent guitar sounds and riffs, a wide and varied use of keyboards, and excellent lead and harmony vocals. This deserves to do very well, and I'm proud to say that I was there at the CD launch and know some of the folks involved.