Reviewed by Tony May

When listening to Adrian's previous work I have generally found myself appreciating the suave elegance, rather than getting fired up over some stirring music. Worthy though the concept of 'City Of Peace' is, conveying crucial long-neglected truth, something of the same pitfall remains. Sparkling moments abound, particularly courtesy of exquisite flute and sax skills from David Fitzgerald. Considerable expertise too, in all areas of the arrangements, recording and quality musicianship. It's just that there's a coolness bordering on icy at times that produces a distance and unavailability that's uncomfortable and edgy. As TC's review of Part 1 pointed out, here too there's little of instant melody to enjoy. So the verdict is that it's classy stuff, lavishly prepared but red-blooded it's not. Anyway, Adrian should worry about my misgivings, eh?

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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