‘Secrets of the Alchemists’ revisits past themes and gets into an excellent groove, serious music with a feel good factor ‘Slinky’ is just as the title suggests with some moody expressive guitar, piano and vibes. ‘Don’t Sing in the Park’ is a variation on one of COH’s themes: ‘It’s essential to be your self in a world where you’re expected to be like everybody else’.( I seem to remember Ray Davies put this sentiment into a song rather well once upon a time but that’s another story). If you’ve got this far you must be intrigued!
So to summarise the 15 tracks are mostly short and snappy, quixotic and quirky In fact. there’s a refreshing and at times spontaneous feel about the whole album, the music really flows and it sounds great through headphones. I’ll certainly be putting a few of these songs on my I-Pod if Santa brings me one! Meanwhile put ‘COH 10’ on your Christmas wish list. Then again why wait until then?
(Reviewed by Phil Jackson for Zeitgeist)