Fifth Daughter – Stellar Season – review

Fifth Daughter – Stellar Season – review
Fruits de Mer

A new new band? On Fruits de Mer? As opposed to the getting on a bit now lads, not really new bands, new bands they usually publish. Well, I’ll be. Not sure I entirely approve of this but let’s give it a spin, eh?

Oh. This is rather good. Turns out they’re a duo comprising Nicholas Whittaker and James Howarth. The former is in a prog rock band called Diagonal whilst the latter isn’t. Although he has been in bands and has collaborated with the KLF and Youth. Which dates him. KLF! Blimey.

Anyhow, it’s all irrelevant because Fifth Daughter are in no way, shape or form a Transcendental Prog Band. Quite the opposite. If anything they’re looking way, way back in time to the early seventies, when cable knit besweatered geography teachers took half a tab and created Magic.

Which is, to say, early Pentangle, Comus, the Incredible String Band, solo stuff by that Nirvana fella – Patrick Campbell-Lyons, that’s the one. Which is all jolly good, and to be encouraged. Even better, it started life as a concept album about getting what you wished for. With aliens.

Recordings took place over a couple of years with some guesting Diagonals and whatnots bringing the music to life. Lots of acoustic guitars, sitars, woodwind, getting your head together in the country, but with synths. It’s a very enjoyable release with the opening ‘The Eternal Dance’, an absolute treat, with a wide array of woodwind. ‘Season of Fasting/Call For the Equinox’ will be the one that get the crowd going. Well, grooving whilst the closing ‘Even Winter’ will really appeal to fans of the ISB.

A real surprise, and a real pleasure. The vinyl will probably be sold out on Fruits de Mer by the time you read this but you can try at https://www.fruitsdemerrecords.com/shop.html

The digital & vinyl (maybe) is also on their Bandcamp – https://fifthdaughter.bandcamp.com/