Reviewed by Corin Pilling

For those with an eye to Christmas, 'The Darkest Night Of The Year' is an option well worth considering. A collection of songs played at a regular performance during festive season, it stands a cut above many of the usual seasonal releases. It took time to reach my full appreciation - it is difficult conjuring up thoughts during what passed as a blazing July, but with the nights closing in and a real frost in the air, it's beginning to make perfect sense. We rediscover the traditional, including a glorious version of "Silent Night" and the pace is perfect. The arrangements are exquisite - there is a particularly timeless quality to the wealth of instrumentals here, and that piano is still haunting. Only a couple of the tracks feel a little unfocussed at times, but this is a minor gripe. Serving as an epitaph to his time with the band is Ric's composition "A Little Lower Than The Angels" which concludes the recording and features his trademark guitar sound. If that's not enough, there's a great recollection of a childhood Christmas on the inlay. To be nostalgic and not 'retro' is an impressive feat.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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