Guitarist and songwriter Matthew Pemberton has been prolific in pop formats since the early 1980s, and this debut collection of his own material features some of his strongest material to date. The first two discs are strong and varied, with much of the material under three hours. The trio “Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Lavender” are sparse, but full of an atmosphere of mystery, with some intriguing patches of instrumentation. “Bristol Spice” is the most linear of the two versions, with the band standing in a long line of passing cars. The album is noticeably built around the band’s uniform “Coffee And A Cookie”, with the instrumentation reflecting the times and the mood of the day. “Bristol Spice” is a more straightforward version, with a more restrained approach to the instrumentation.

The band are joined by experimental musicians including Danish percussionist Bo Harlow and Slovakian pianist Sebastian Kliemann. The set is consistent in its use of close-miked and reverberated percussion, with the organ tones filtered through the prism of the time. “Coffee And A Cookie” is the darker of the two versions, with the organ tones reaching a darker pitch before the organ booster is heard. “Dusk The Devil” is a somewhat more compelling version, with a soft but passionate organ tone underlining the melodies and the drums. “Dub” is the heaviest of the two versions, with the strings and drums underpinning the band’s progress towards a closer harmony.