A Few Good Men will launch this, their third album, this weekend at The Prom, Gloucester Road on Saturday 9 October 2004. It will be the culmination of around two years of hard work, writing and recording.

The opening track "Anymore" is possibly my favourite track of the entire album alongside "Down South". The overriding piano sound being very in tune with the current commercial musical climate and likes of Coldplay and Keane, which although is not everyone’s cup of tea, it struck a chord with me.

"Dreams that fly away" starts off sounding like the intro to an Alanis Morrisette number before erupting into an epic chorus, reminiscent of The Calling, whilst chugging away nicely in the background in the vein of the Police’s "Message in a Bottle".

The intro to track three, "Radio" takes you back to a very definite sound of somewhere between Rush’s "Spirit of Radio" and Counting Crows before whisking you away to a world of driving and at times intricate use of their instruments.

"You’re the Best" for me demonstrates the true power of AFGM’s recording ability by encapsulating a live sound within the confines of a studio… an extremely hard thing to do. The song utilises their backing vocals to full effect and whilst it’s not my favourite song on the album I still found myself tapping my feet, nodding my head and drumming my fingers appreciatively.

With "Rose" they show how capable they are at delivering a killer, minimalist, middle-eight when it’s most needed, by taking the song in a very different direction, and as with "Radio", they drop out, before slamming back in with a crescendo build that forces you to like a song that perhaps you might not have, and makes them look a little bit clever.

"The Ring" revisits the domain of old classics, such as Hotel California which although is not a bad thing, it tends to somewhat lack the complexity of song writing that I’d already come to expect from the rest this album.

Track seven, "Something or Nothing", offers once again an alternative angle which allows you to imagine what the Manic Street Preachers might sound like in a duet with Kenny G…it’s certainly got that James Dean Bradfield tinge to the vocals.

"For Louise" is simply a beautiful piece of acoustic genius that leaves you closing your eyes and imagining yourself, sitting outside a candle-lit Greek taverna, sipping wine with your friends, whilst watching the moon over a calm sea’s rippling waves… bloody fantastic.

When "Down South" began I guess I expected the intro to develop into something resembling Carter Unstoppable Sex Machine’s "Only living boy in New Cross". Instead I was greeted a superb chorus that is catchy enough to have you singing along by the end of the first listen with superb vocals once again.

The only live track on the album, "Pray for Rain" delivers a poignant message, taking into consideration recent events in the Sudan, which may or may not have influenced the writing of this song. You can’t help but grasp the almost hymn-like nature captured within the atmosphere of the venue and once again find yourself closing your eyes and drifting away to somewhere not quite so enticing as "For Louise".

"Look at you" seems to contain a strong U2 influence and whilst the parts of the song might not be to my liking, the song is rescued by a bridge section, comprising of harmonics that are supplied to devastating effect and more than compensate for rest of the song.

"Sleep with the lights on" is possibly, dare I say it, the weakest track on the album. Although there’s nothing wrong with it just doesn’t seem to go anywhere and may perhaps be harshly considered as the "album filler track".

Overall, it’s the background attention to detail that possibly explains why, like all good records, it has taken me a while, and a number of listens get into it, and pick up on exactly where AFGM are coming from… "Radio Play" if you pardon the pun.

Over a period of time it’s grown on me. I’m glad I stuck with it, it was well worth it… Well Done guys!!!

October 2004