The violinist and keyboard player who co-wrote Curved Air’s Back Street Luv has worn many a suit of musical clothes since leaving that homestead in the early 1970s – leading Darryl Way’s Wolf, guesting under the auspices of Gong, Tull and others, taking in occasional CA reunions, and slowly amassing a body of solo endeavours.
But it’s well over 20 summers since Way set down a tentpole in the progressive camp, and now he does, the one-time Royal College of Music student throws plenty of classical and folk ingredients into the pot. The album title betrays the archetypal cosmic lyrical themes of several tracks, although just as often, his songs have a vintage 70s chart feel about them. Occasionally he sets foot in the 80s for such as The Best Of Times which, as throughout, is illuminated by Way’s fine vocals, as supple as his violin playing. With its post-glam, vaguely futuristic synth structure, it sounds not unlike later Ultravox. Elsewhere, he gets Celtic on Lagan Love and quotes Pachelbel’s Canon on Don’t Look Back. Much of _Children Of The Cosmos _is largely undistracted by the passing decades, yet its musicality is unfailing and it has spirit to spare. PS ** **
But it’s well over 20 summers since Way set down a tentpole in the progressive camp, and now he does, the one-time Royal College of Music student throws plenty of classical and folk ingredients into the pot. The album title betrays the archetypal cosmic lyrical themes of several tracks, although just as often, his songs have a vintage 70s chart feel about them. Occasionally he sets foot in the 80s for such as The Best Of Times which, as throughout, is illuminated by Way’s fine vocals, as supple as his violin playing. With its post-glam, vaguely futuristic synth structure, it sounds not unlike later Ultravox. Elsewhere, he gets Celtic on Lagan Love and quotes Pachelbel’s Canon on Don’t Look Back. Much of Children Of The Cosmos is largely undistracted by the passing decades, yet its musicality is unfailing and it has spirit to spare. PS ** **
