April 2000 - DPRP (Derk van Mourik)
Long before the album was released I had already been warned that it would contain something entirely different from for instance what Grey Lady Down was doing before the split. Especially the use of fiendish time signatures and tempo changes was stressed as being a characteristic of the music.

When I heard this I frankly didn't know what to expect. I did have a vague idea of where the music would be heading but of course I was proven entirely wrong. I expected freaky jazzrock but indeed the freakiness is woven into the songs much more subtle. A lot happens, but you'll miss a lot of it if you don't listen closely. Sixteen minute opener Mute is a prime example of this.

The first time I heard it I didn't know quite what to make of it, but on further listening I began to discover that the track had much more to offer than was apparent on the surface. For one thing, as the first recording of Thieves' Kitchen that listeners will hear, it has to make a good impression of what TK is about. The track has a leading role for Phil Mercy's (distorted) guitar. Although he's quite capable of playing fast riffs (as evidenced in Time), his real strength lies in delivering the melody with feeling. Wolfgang Kindl's (mostly) analog keyboards complements the lead guitar perfectly, while surfacing for a leading role from time to time. In any band, the rhythm section has to hold the band together. No problem here for Paul Beecham and Mark Robotham, whose drumming is as solid as ever (for some real solid drumming, check out Grey Lady Down's Fear album). Like Mark said in the interview, Simon Boys' voice is very similar to Jadis' Gary Chandler. Indeed, the comparison is uncanny, which has probably also a lot to do with the fact that some of the vocal melodies are very Jadis like.

The ironically called Time is with it's barely seven minutes the shortest track on the album. The keyboard intro of this almost poppy track spotlights Kindl's nimble fingers. He's also very evident in the gorgeous chorus, while Mercy finishes off the track with a blistering guitar solo.

Closer T.A.N.U.S. is the magnum opus of the album. Clocking in at almost twenty minutes, it showcases once more what TK is about. The interplay between guitar and keyboards in this track is absolutely fantastic. I can imagine TK's joy when they finally found their keyboard player in Kindl: he's the perfect man for the job!

Offhand, I can't think of any bands to compare Thieves' Kitchen with, and perhaps there lies their strength. The production of the album is spot on, which means it sounds quite good on my crappy speakers! ;-)

Conclusion: 7.5 out of 10

March 2000 - Delire Musicale (Canada)
The discovery of the week: one could hardly hope for a better debut album. Really.

Thieves' Kitchen hail from England and their first-born, Head, was recorded and mixed through Dec '99 and Jan '00. It's thus still warm!

Thieves' Kitchen is a standard rock quintet : Paul Beecham (bass), Wolfgang Kindl (keyboards), Phil Mercy (guitars), Mark Robotham (electric drums) and Simon Boys (vocals). Don't be afraid of the drums, they sound very good and you won't hear the difference. TK's music is the proud sibling of the British progressive tradition. One can hear sparks of Yes and Gentle Giant, with the rock feel of Grey Lady Down and an American touch a la Kansas in the vocal harmonies. But what stroke me up first was the ultra-powerful voice of Simon Boys. It took me some time to pin down who he reminded me of, but now I've found it - Ozzy Osbourne!

Head is a collection of five tracks ranging from 7 to 19 minutes, with a total of 63 minutes. The opener, "Mute", hits where it counts : a mini-moog theme doubled by the guitar over a rock-hard syncopated rhythm section. "Time" passes by without being noticed but "The Return of the Ultragravy" is full of surprises. The album closes with the 19 minutes "T.A.N.U.S.", an epic built around a simple riff and many variations. Simple but brilliantly executed. It is on this track that the musicians unleash all their energy, giving me the desire to see them on stage.

A heavy rhythm section, scorching guitars, powerful vocals and intelligent music that won't go into the ultra-complex realms. The whole thing is perfectly produced - you'll never suspect this is an independent release. Finally, the artwork is beautiful and inventive. As I said, you couldn't ask for a better first album. Thieves' Kitchen has taken a strategic position on the "Best newcomer of 2000" grid. You better watch out for this band. Very strongly recommended.

More reviews still to come...

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