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With every release Greenhaus move further & further away from their two-bob techno beginnings into ever more eloquent & organic musical fields, it's just a shame that this evolution hasn't been enough to get them a UK release date yet (this is the European version which has already been out for a good six months now!). The band's line-up seems to be in a constant state of flux with Phoenix J replacing Lahannya on vocals & while her rather 'girly' voice makes for a more lightweight feel in places, with "Higher Ground" proving far too sickly sweet for its own good, she's still a capable addition to the band, co-writing a number of tracks while the inclusion of a number of guest musicians (including Project Pitchfork's Achim Farber on drums) helps to beef up the sound nicely. The guitar work of Steve Bellamy & Jon Williams is very much to the fore here & both prove their mettle time & time again, contributing to the generally full sound of the opening double header that is the heartfelt title track as well as the soaring climax that graces "Home" while the powerful sound that graces the superb instrumental "The Greatest Place On Earth" ups the already high standard still further. Even better is the Pink Floyd-like psychadelia that makes the anti-Iraq war anthem "Not In My Name" (aided by Namman Di-Richi's flute) another stand-out piece with Anthony Neale's superb vocals giving the track added gravity, particularly on the soaring climax which is, of course, very much a Greenhaus speciality, continuing the good work of the previous album Another Life. Neale puts in another fine performance on the soaring "Eyes Open Wide", aided by more excellent guitar work & as these are two of the album's highlights it's to be hoped that his contribution will continue in future. Josie Akers does the vocal honours on the ethnic-flavoured "Too Many Fears" where the mood stays just the right side of happy & upbeat as the album enters its final stages where the melancolic "Til The Fat Lady Sings" again benefits from that all-important lush, full sound & while both the instrumental "Golitha Falls" & the closing "Take The Time", which again boasts some ethnic touches, both qualify as pleasant rather than earth-shattering this is, overall, another fine album from Greenhaus, not quite matching the consistency of Another Life but you can't have everything, can you? |
