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This is only my second posted review, the first also being for a Manning album ‘View from my window’. I cannot recommend this disc enough, even though when I first heard it I was not immediately taken by it. I found it a little disjointed & awkward, not as instant as his previous albums.

If you are familiar with any Manning albums (if not then shame on you!) you will know that the man gives superb value for money in the creativity stakes, each album not just being a repetition of the previous formula but something totally different & original. You really don’t know what to expect when the new one arrives, from a 3min pop song to a 33min epic & everything between. This is certainly no bad thing & a major draw of any Manning album.

As I said this album does at first feel a little disjointed & may frighten off the casual listener. Please do not let that be the case ! The more you play it & the more familiar you are, the better it gets. It took me about 6 spins to really appreciate the whole album, for each track to reveal it’s glory & detail.

Each track is like an epic all of it’s own, he is not shy about trying new things & this really shows, as he tells the stories of the characters found in ‘Ansers tree’. From the bursting flute in the folky opener, to the grand marching beat of the finale this album is a real winner.

I would recommend this disc to anyone’s ears, give it time & you won’t be disappointed. If you are new to Manning’s work, you will be back for more… guaranteed.