The Journey, the first studio album in eight years from South Carolina's Farpoint, opens with the two-minute mood-setting “Arrival,” an acoustic instrumental that builds with crescendoing drums and flute. Then comes “Somehow,” another compelling piece featuring Dean Hallal’s rich, warm vocals and a majestic Alan Parsons vibe. Jennifer Weich’s flute floats and flutters above it all.
And so it goes, with Hallal and Weich sharing lead-vocal duties on acoustic/symphonic songs that reflect the band's deep embrace of progressive rock, folk and classical music. The epic here is “All For You,” an 11-minute piece that emphasizes Farpoint's influences and accessibility. The album ends as beautifully as it begins with “Departure,” another instrumental that will leave wanting to hear more.
References to Christianity, a mark of Farpoint’s previous work, are subtle and imbue the album with the kind of positive spirit we need from music more than ever these days.
Farpoint’s lineup has been through multiple changes since its founding in 1997, but multi-instrumentalist Kevin Jarvis and drummer Rick Walker have remained constants. The band’s current five members all played on 2008’s Cold Star Quiet Star and are augmented this time around with guest appearances by IZZ’s Dennis Mullin on guitar and Brian Coralian on percussion.
Track Listing:
1. Arrival
2. Somehow
3. H2Origins
4. All For You
5. Reflections
6. Footprints on Mars
7. Departure
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