or 'The Best of Lorcan Otway is yet to come!' to give it it's full title.

InObu has been giving me some mild tweaking as I haven't commented on this yet and he gave it to me the night of Rick's Memorial concert - in fact he called me a one-man "hung jury" in a recent PM.

Which - at least in regards to this CD is an accurate description. Now understand, I do not have the ear, knowledge or experience to give any sort of true musical analysis - but I *like* the thing - even the "uncomfortable" parts (more on that later)

On the other hand - part of me want to throw it across the room - shouting "Damn you Larry Otway - Who the HELL are you to make me feel shallow, complacent,hypocritical and uncaring!!!!!" (the answer being an extremely talented man, with what must be incredible depths of compassion and the convictions to practice what he preaches - who better?)

I am probably a prime example of those who SHOULD, perhaps NEED, to listen to Larry's songs. I wear my rose coloured glasses by choice - the world is more comfortable that way. I am comfortable and don't want my middle class life disturbed. And Larry doesn't so much as cloak his songs of injustice in allagory or metaphor - they are in-your-face; wake-up-and-smell-the-cow-manure; LISTEN TO ME! songs.

Not all gloom and doom either - especially the tale of the 11 year old more or less passing the threshold of manhood in becoming a conductor on the undergorund railway. He has taken the pertinant information from various incidents and crafted them and performed them as moving, deeply meaningful works of art.

Is this a CD I'm going to throw on when I want a relaxing musical interlude? NO. Though I am perfectly honest in saying I enjoyed the purely instrumental parts and even the musical backgrounds on the "disturbing" songs.

Will I listen to it again? Assuredly! Probably MANY times.

The Best of Larry Otway is yet to come - I don't doubt that - especially since I found out the bugger is younger then I am - but even there I am a "hung jury" - I can't figure out whether I am quivering in anticipation - or dreading that not-so-niggling feeling that I'm going to be forced to open my eyes to something I would rather not see. On the other hand (three hands?) I can't think of many people I'd trust to rip away those rose-coloured lenses more then Larry.