Not long ago on progarchy, I wrote about a demo ep sent to me, way back in the late 1990s.  The lead singer of the band, Ordinary Psycho, David Gulvin, offered a copy to any of the main participants of Within Without, a Danish-run site dedicated to the music of Mark Hollis.

In response to my recent post, fondly remembering how much pleasure that small cd has given me over a decade and a half, the guitarist, Tony Gulvin, sent progarchy a copy of the band’s second lp, Vol. II.

Holy Schnikees.  Yes, let me quote the late Chris Farley one more time: Holy Schnikees.

This is a masterpiece, a gorgeously textured and nuanced cd that should be very well known by all readers of progarchy.  Holy Schnikees.  Yes, I had to state this for a third time.  In sum (and I’ll write more later), this CD helps explain much of the leap from the late 1980s and early 1990s contemplative goth and post-rock to the full-blown explosion of third-wave prog around 2000.  Imagine New Model Army asking Roger Waters and Mark Hollis to join a common band.  You’d be very, very close to what is produced with Vol. II.  And, just in case you doubt the prog credentials, Emerald Part I is 9:02 long, and Emerald Part II is a little over 4:38 long, followed by 21 minutes of silence!  Move aside, Porcupine Tree.  This is the real deal.  Drums, guitar, bass, and anguished voices mix profoundly with woodwinds, piano, and strings.

I’m eager to give this CD a full review.  How did I ever miss this?  Thank God, I have it now.  Well, at least, thank Tony Gulvin!