The Viewing Point could be anywhere. It's merely a place to go and ponder one's existence; a place of solitude, a place of tranquility. For one man, it's a secluded parking space overlooking the ocean. He's been going there for years. He used to bring his family there and once even rented a home there. Now, older, he still likes to go there, alone, to park his car, look over the water, and contemplate his life. Such is the concept of The Viewing Point, the third album by Suffolk-based The Future Kings Of England. Through 6 instrumental tracks were taken on a voyage through a man's thoughts, as he replays in his mind the successes and failures of his entire life.
This latest chapter in the band's history may very well be their best. Their "Meddle-era Pink Floyd meets early 90s Porcupine Tree" sound has been honed into an alloy which results in the emergence of a new sound all their own. The boys have broken away from their influences and entered uncharted waters. The results are nothing short of sublime. The Viewing Point is a fantastic slice of modern psychedelia with a definite British slant. The band mixes well shorter ambient numbers with grandiose and sweeping epics in an extremely coherent and entertaining disc. While there isn't a bad track on the disc, I must give a special mention to "Time Flies Like An Arrow", which encompasses everything that is right about progressive rock, in this reviewer's opinion. From its inauspicious opening to its bombastic finale, it's the high water mark of what is already a superb disc.
In a year that has already produced many fine discs, The Viewing Point comes along and tops them all. This record is, in my opinion, flawless from cover-to-cover. It has rarely left my CD player since I received my copy. Each time I listen to it, I literally stop everything I'm doing in order to sit back and enjoy the journey. Highest marks and highest recommendations!
Track Listing:
- Go…
- Sea Saw
- The Cold Hard Truth
- Time Flies Like An Arrow
- Rain Later,Good
- The Viewing Point
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