AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST
Grant Moon has a rummage down the back of the Prog sofa for the ones that nearly got away…
An album of depth and quality, John Greenwood’s Dark Blue was one of the nicer surprises of 2023, but the Unitopia guitarist now excels himself with The Boy (Bandcamp). This majestic, “vicariously autobiographical” concept album is beautifully recorded, packed with memorable melodies, retro synths, quality string parts and eloquent guitars. The engrossing, six-part story –about the titular boy yearning for escape from a scorched Earth –is brought to life by its narrator, actor Mark Addy (of Game Of Thrones and The Full Monty). Fans of Steve Hackett and Cosmograf will find much to savour here.