I've had Talismania on repeat for the past week and the only regret that I haven't heard it earlier. Browsing around the internet, it would appear that all bar one have also had it pass them by. Whereas we normally concentrate on the new, the album was released in 2020 and seems to have had a re-release for the streaming sites last year.
Recorded in Madrid by Spaniards Javier Monforte and Cybil Durango, this is an absolute gem. It is hard to label it, essentially Pop Rock, but with plenty of diversions into both Prog Pop and Psych Pop. It is beautifully arranged and produced affair with plenty of surprises.
The nearest comparison could be the Alan Parsons Project, if so it would be from their mega-selling days, but there is far far more to Talismania than that. The songs are far more varied and step in too many directions to be likened to just that.
Three songs sum up how varied this album is. Meet Me On The Windfields is very Deceptive Bends era 10CC until the Psych solo ending, Pale Withered Flowers is fantastic melodic 70s Pop Rock , yet Far Leys Tamworth-In-Arden is all Psych Chant with its Sitar and Bongos.
Bloomsday is Celtic, Days Of Gray is bang in Big Big Train territory as is The Smiling Hippie. The Raven And The Mare is laid back breezy melancholic lounge. The Song Of Yore has a symphonic soundscape that you just melt away in. Yet, A Banksy Moon goes all Brit Pop.
It is a long time that I've been so surprised by the quality of an album. I did suspect it might be something special when I first looked at the album cover, but I've often been disappointed when listening to previous examples of this. Talismania is an exceptional offering, I absolutely love it.
You can listen to and buy the album here.
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