You don't hear a CD like this everyday. I don't hear one like
this every Year. First off, Neil crosses so many overs/genres,
he should be placed square in the centre of the map for easy
mobility. Easy listening, opera, musical theatre, pop, it's all
contained in just 11 songs and an hour's worth of worthy
material. When I say contained within, well, I mean within
each of the 11. At times, Neil's voice is a cross between
Trevor Rabin and John Denver, and at others, he is that
smooth voice from the 80s, reminding one of Foreigner's
hold on the public. 'Pepperhaus Suite' comes straight out
of Sarah Brightman's realm, complete with Mezzo Soprano
and Soprano, doing a mighty fine job. And the album
continues to the furthest extreme, such as the pop 'Emily &
Charlotte', and the new age kiss of 'The Swan Suite', a
beautiful 8 minute pillow which puts your head down for you,
helps you dream, parts the clouds for the coming stars. Pretty.
Then one day she will emerge / Discovered passion now
diverge / Sunlight radiantly sings / With the first beatings of
her wings'. Neil is a singular talent I'm glad he's climbing
from the lovely West Yorkshire country of England, now trying
to conquer the rest of the world. With this kind of set to play,
he could easily pick up some Jim Brickman audiences, and
run away with the heart of adult contemporaries.

Ben Ohmart
MusesMuse.com / Dec 2000
(Reproduced with kind premission)