Mark Green is a British-based composer, keyboard player and vocalist who has finally made this his debut album after some recent trials and tribulations, significantly his recent recovery from cancer.  In the mid-70s, he was with vocal harmony group Flame and he was later keyboard player with the Mike Radcliffe Band. He then joined Spirit Level on keyboards in the 80s and then in the 90s, he decided to concentrate on his own studio project where the ideas for Fantasy Bridge began.

That material remained dormant until he underwent successful cancer treatment three years ago. That experience spurred him to resurrect the project. It required another two years’ work to put it together before its release this year. It is a fascinating and sometimes surprising collection of compositions of varying length and styles that all tip their hats to Green’s main influences from the 70s: prog supergroups.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2012  Volume 6 at lulu.com/strangesound.

This kicks off the collection and immediately, there are shades of Genesis, mainly through the Hacket-like guitar of Steinar Gregertson which blends beautifully with Green’s understated synth.