Paul Nagle Wilderlands (WAV) Download) 12 tracks / 62.43 mins Play Sample:   56K Dialup   Broadband Download Sample:   500K   1.5Mb (Excerpt from track(s) 'Mutatis Mutandis') Please go to the Store to buy this item.

The original ‘Wilderlands’ album was recorded in 1987 (so again, except on a couple of tracks, nothing like his most recent output) and was to have been Paul’s first vinyl release but due to a series of disasters it just never happened. Even the cassette release was a bit of a catastrophe.

The album was inspired by Tolkien’s ‘Lord of The Rings’ as becomes obvious when you read the track titles. Eight musicians are involved in total, apart from Paul most are playing non electric instruments so the whole album has a much more acoustic feel than any other Paul Nagle album whilst still keeping its EM credentials. For instance acoustic guitar and flute provide a very melodic start to ‘Travellers by Starlight’. At the half way mark a clarinet becomes the dominant instrument over a relaxed sequence. ‘Old Forest’ is a suitably spooky atmospheric piece. All sorts of weird effects are used and the sound of some strange creature is never far away. Two minutes in and a tinkling sequence enters followed by awesome thick, melodic chords making the whole atmosphere even more malevolent. Very powerful stuff. Another high register sequence contrasts with deep synth pads and a bright melody at the start of ‘Window on the West’ Two and a half minutes in things become very tranquil with bird song in the background. It might be a bit mellow for some tastes.

The title track uses a combination of piano and flute to create another very melodic number though somewhat more melancholy than the previous track. ‘Land of Shadow’ is an eerie number created by multi layered synth drones with subtle percussion providing the detail. ‘Mountain Path’ returns to melodic territory with a piano doing the honours. A different piano sound is used from the half way mark and is very ‘tuneful’, it could even be a TV theme (remember Taxi?). ‘Hidden Valley’ is a mournful melodic number. The main theme will be recognisable straight away to all those who purchased ‘Lore’ as it was later used as the basis for the title track to that album. This is where the original ‘Wilderlands’ album finished. The next track ‘The Quiet People’ was on ‘The Amazing Adventures of Ludwig Eartrumpet’. It is a very delicate piece, pin sharp notes dripping from the speakers over pads which have an almost vocal quality to them. ‘Ice King’ was on the ‘Deserted Tower’ album. It sounds suitably crystalline and well er, cold. ‘Celebratia’ was also from ‘Deserted Tower’ but the version here is a re-recording. A fanfare makes way for what sounds like a medieval dance!