Landmarq – Entertaining Angels
Synergy Records
www.entertainingangels.info

Rating: B

Landmarq are a prog rock band from the UK, who after taking something of a decade long break have returned with an new album of ethereal, powerful and, totally progressive music.  The songs are beautiful and well crafted and the performance is stellar.

The band seems to have no musical limitations or boundaries as they mix rock, prog, classical and even sorta jazzy type stuff with vocal passages that could be in a Broadway play.  The star of the show is vocalist Terry Hitchings as she is a true talent.  Her vocal sounds are unique, passionate and draw the listener in.  Keyboardist Mike Varty is the other bookend as his passages weave the sound together and move it forward.

There are guest performances on the album from cellist Hugh McDowell (ELO, Wizzard) and saxophonist Laurent Hunziker (Logicaltramp, Tiptop, Gino Sitson).

Landmarq have released the landmark recording of their career, and while, like strong coffee, they may be a bit of an acquired taste, the band, like the beverage, is suited to intelligent, forward thinking grownups.

1. Entertaining Angels (8:31)
2. Glowing (Part 1: Friends) (4:05)
3. Glowing (Part 2: Lovers) (8:12)
4. Mountains Of Anglia (8:56)
5. Personal Universe (7:53)
6. Prayer (Coming Home) (5:38)
7. Turbulence (Paradigm Shift) (12:32)
8. Calm Before The Storm (16:11)
I. Strange But Beautiful
II. Spiderman
III. From The Abyss

Limited Bonus CD
1. Walking On Eggshells (6:56)
2. Timeline (5:54)
3. Stormbrewing (2:09)
4. Thunderstruck (13:23)

Line-up / Musicians
- Tracy Hitchings / lead vocals
- Uwe Drose / guitars
- Steve Gee / 4/5/6 & fretless basses, vocals
- Mike Varty / piano/keys, violin, viola, vocals
- Dave Wagstaffe / drums, percussion, vocals

By Jeb Wright