Short Reviews [Tim Burness - 2018 - Interconnected]

When this CD turned up from the UK one day, I looked down the track listing, and sent an email to Tim asking just how many people would understand that track #8 was a sequel and how many writers would have understood the reference? The new song is called “Still Mumbling”, and it is an obvious link back to “Mumbling in the House of Commons”. As Tim said in his response, “Well spotted! The answer to your question has to be "not many" ha ha. The first demo version of "Mumbling In The House Of Commons" was written in 1981, with the final single version released in er... 89 or 90 I think. I figured it was time for some sort of reprise due to the even further descent into total farce over the last few years, good grief.” Joining Tim on this merry escapade are the same musicians who featured on his 2015 album, ‘Whose Dream Are You Living?’, namely Monty Oxymoron (The Damned) on keyboards, Keith Hastings on bass and the one and only Fudge Smith (Pendragon, Henry Fool, Steve Hackett) on drums. This isn’t what many people would think of as a “classic” progressive rock album, but to my ears it is the best thing Tim has been involved with to date. In my last review I described him as a musical magpie, and that is still a very true description, as he moves from place to place picking up the shiny things. The band he reminds me most of is XTC, as he has that very English feel to his music and is all over the place musically. Some of the songs, such as “Dear Stranger”, are repetitive and full of poppy hooks one on level, and a sad indictment of modern society on another. Of course, it would be impossible to discuss this album without the aforementioned “Still Mumbling”, which is a real pain, as it is quite hard to describe. Modern, in an Eighties way, it is political satire at its very best, and I actually prefer it to the older song. I have no idea how many times I have played it now, let’s just say lots, and it makes me smile each and every time – it is so true! This is a great album, full of space and life and a real independent feel to the overall sound. If Stiff Records were still around and signing prog acts, then Tim would be their very first signature.