"This is the debut album from Henry Fool featuring Tim Bowness (vocals, guitar), Peter Chilvers (bass, keyboards), Fudge Smith (drums), Stephen Bennet (keyboards), Mike Bearpark (guitars) and Myke Clifford (sax, flute). Comprising sixteen tracks; with six including the smooth enchanting voice of Tim Bowness and ten experimental soundscapes, this makes for an interesting album for anyone into No Man and Porcupine Tree.

The inclusion of Fudge Smith should not mislead anyone into thinking this sounds anything like Pendragon because this is a much more jazzy / ambient /avant garde affair than Barratt and co's mainstream prog style. Although this music is highly accomplished, it is more about atmosphere and feel rather than flashy technical ability.

The brief opening piece Friday Brown begins quietly with tinkling Fender Rhodes electric piano, haunting guitar and mellotron. This soon gives way to the somewhat discordant Bass Pig with Chilvers playing assorted bass guitars while the mellotron and organ conjure up a menacing soundscape putting me in mind of early Pink Floyd. 'Poppy Q' changes back down a gear featuring jazzy / proggy keyboards with some lovely rhythmic bass & drums.

Midnight Days the first of a five part piece under the title of Lateshow is also the first to feature Tim Bowness' ethereal voice. Augmented with synths and fretless bass this is dreamy laid back song. Blindman One follows including just gentle keys and sax while Poppy Z is a more upbeat instrumental affair featuring a wild sax improvisation from Myke Clifford. Blindman Two is an atmospheric piece with gentle synths, guitars and sax leading into the last section of Lateshow called Grounded. Bowness returns with the vocal theme from Midnight Days backed with some lovely mellotron and flute culminating in a rare guitar solo.

The Laughter That Turned To Ice and Judy On The Brink are beautiful songs that fans of No Man will love. Bowness' superb vocal is complimented by subtle percussion and sax with haunting choir like keyboards and cool fretless bass. Likewise Heartattack and Dreamer's Song are both smooth vocal based pieces in the same vein, with more excellent instrumentation from the rest of the band while Jazz Monkey is an understated laid back instrumental piece.

The David Warner Wish List is a fairly intense instrumental, more in the experimental area of Porcupine Tree with some excellent fuzz bass and 'chaotic' guitar and sax. The Mellow Moods Of Malcolm McDowell takes a similar, but more gentle approach with sax, flute, keys and guitars all taking a turn. Finally, Tuesday Weld closes the album, as it began, with tranquil keys and guitars making for an entrancing and hypnotic atmosphere.

This is a perfect album to chill out with on these darkening autumn evenings and comes highly recommended."

Steve 14/10/01
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