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Damian Wilson - Cosmas

Artist:	Damian Wilson
Title:	Cosmas
Label:	Verglas VGCD007
Length(s):	45 minutes
Year(s) of release:	1997
Month of review:	09/1997

Line up

Damian Wilson - guitars, vocals, music and lyrics
a host of musicians including Gordon Mills, Andrew Holdsworth, Paul Jude
Wilson, Kevin Jamieson and a number of wind and string instrumentalists.

Tracks

1)	When I Leave This Land	4.56
2)	She's Like A Fable	3.22
3)	I Want To Build My World	4.08
4)	Agony	3.13
5)	You Hurt Me Inside	1.52
6)	A Monday Night In March	3.50
7)	How Can You Turn So Coldly	0.36
8)	Please Don't Leave Me Till I Leave You	3.07
9)	I Can't Change Your Mind	0.34
10)	Nothing In This World Remains The Same	3.37
11)	Naturally	1.10
12)	Homegrown	4.27
13)	The Image I Saw	0.49
14)	Naked	4.32
15)	Just The Way It Goes	4.49

Summary

Damian Wilson is well known for his share in Landmarq and his singing for Threshold. Still, the man is not a progressive musician or singer as such, but in one way or another got involved with the bands. He himself is a singer songwriter and has now released a CD full of his own work, songs that have been with him for years. Homegrown was a track that could already be found on the iO Pages Sampler. Oh by the way, Damian and Cosmas are saints that you will often encounter together. This is probably the reason for the title of this album.b

The music

Striking fact number one is that none of the musicians are familiar to me and I guess they are not generally found in the prog corner of the music. Still, knowing that this would be a singer songwriter album, it is not SO strange, but the difference with for instance Peter Gee's approach is clear.

The album starts promising with the pianic and introspective When I Leave This Land. The instrumentation reminds me of albums by Ryan Harris of music by Jimmy Webb: strings and wood instruments playing very melodic compositions. The song is certainly very stately, but also a bit sad. Beautiful.

The next one She's Like A Fable is a more playful folky tune, but I like it, although a lot less than the previous track. I Want To Build My World is also a nice track, a bit more up-tempo with more pronounced percussion and a good bridge.

A big surprise is that Agony is a very happy track and You Hurt Me Inside can be compared to Only You in the version of The Flying Pickets that was a big hit once. A Monday Night In March is a soft track with a terrific melody. How Can You Turn So Coldly is a short sad one that moves directly into the bouncy Please Don't Leave Me Till I Leave You. A bit too happy, but it has its charm.

Nothing In This World Remains The Same is a melancholy ballad and is introduced by the short I Can't Change Your Mind. The acoustic Naturally is an up-tempo track with accordeon and then follows the already known Homegrown about weed, nature and god. I like this song very much especially the majestic part at the end and although I'm not a smoker of whatever myself, I do sympathesize with the message of this song, that seems to be "can it be used with some commond sense. If it's making rope it might as well be making us...".

The lyrics throughout the album are very personal and in that sense contrast with the lyrics usually found in progressive that seem to be more constructed than felt. Many of the songs here are about love and stories about everyday life. After the Image I Saw we go into Naked that has is the most rocking song of the album with some heavy guitar work. Also, the chorus reminds me of the latest Landmarq album, that by the way has recently been rereleased on Landmarqs own label.

The closer Just The Way It Goes is the best one, containing message, melody and emotion.

Lastly I'd like to say that the artwork looks great with beautiful colours and no money spared.

Conclusion

Wilson says in the booklet and in one of the songs "...you don't have to like the songs I write". I guess this is meant for the Landmarq or Threshold fan who buys this album for that reason only. Still, if you are a little open to other kinds of music, and most notably singer songwriters, there will something on this disc for you. I don't admit liking all of it, but I have to admit as well that after a few listens the album (home)grows on you and it becomes easier for me to listen to the up-beat tracks (you see, I'm really not that fond of happy music). Best tracks on this album I found to be: Homegrown, When I Leave This Land and Just The Way It Goes.