It has only taken Founder member of Touchstone, Rob Cottingham, 18 years to return to his original solo album Behind The Orchard Tree, but it has been worth the wait. He has been clever this time as the original needed a band. This time he already had the basis and therefore only needed the personnel to assist him sprucing things up.

Ace thinking in taking his prep work along to John Mitchell at Outhouse Studios in Reading where John added a fine guitar solo to the new track Out Of Time and aided the production. Nice touch also to get daughter Kerry to do some beautiful vocals on the absolutely splendid track Hero?. Esther Wildman helps out with some vocals too, she being daughter of original drummer Andy Wildman.

From start to finish this is a stand out album where I can’t help but compare Rob’s shining vocals to those of the late, great John Wetton. The song writing has that silky finish and emotive storylines. Musicianship of the highest order that sits perfectly in within the Progressive Rock genre. Years ago I used to comment when an album was a bit of a fixture on my player. Well here is another that I will have to fight with myself to remove.

Cairorocks.com

Martin Hudson