Gift

French composer and musician Francis DÉCAMPS is the younger brother of Christian Décamps. The two of them formed semi-legendary band ANGE in 1969, and until 1995 Francis' tenure in that band were his main activities as a musician and composer. He also found the time to compose and release a few solo efforts along the way however…

Your Daily Gift opens with an original pop/rocker, "Sunday Morning," which displays Anisette's little granny voice to great effect. This is not the hit song by Spanky & Our Gang, nor does Anisette sound anything like Spanky, but the two bands would have complemented each other nicely on a bill, and had Elaine McFarlane performed "The Waters Run Deep," the first song on side two, it might have been an American hit…

For a band that started life in 2003, The Gift are notably thrifty when it comes to releasing new music - Land Of Shadows is only their second album. The music is firmly rooted in classic British prog, most evidently 70s Pink Floyd, with strong melodies bolstered by flashes of virtuosity. The catchy choruses of Too Many Hands show off their pop sensibility, while You Are The Song is an unabashed ballad. Yet there is plenty for prog purists to embrace here too, particularly in the 20 minutes of The Comforting Cold, which weaves between strings, wide-open soundscapes and heavier rock instrumental sections to great effect…