Wuthering Heights - Far From The Madding Crowd (2004)

I always knew that, upon returning from a journey to the other side of the world, that it was going to take me a while to get over the jetlag. But together with that, I've been hit with a stomach bug, which has seen me tossing my innards into the toilet. I think the worst is over now, but I still feel very washed out and drained, and I spent most of today in bed.
Therefore, forgive me if I don't write as much about this splendid album as I should. I haven't really warmed to Wuthering Heights so far, but this release, their third, is a winner. Being a mixture of power, progressive and folk, and with a mighty new vocalist in Nils Patrik Johansson, Far From The Madding Crowd is a catchy, rivetting listen. "The Road Goes Ever On" is a terrific opener (after the brief bagpipes introduction), and we also have the three part "Longing For The Woods", which is dispersed throughout the record, and features the same chorus in each part, but without any grave problems of repitition. Also of note is "Highland Winds" and the amusingly titled instrumental "Bad Hobbits Die Hard".
Wuthering Heights have made it here, with this winning release.
Now I have to stagger off to bed.

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