The cover is in excellent condition, with minor crease in one corner. The spine is perfect and legible, while the vinyl is clear, with the required depth to its sound that allows appreciation of the complexity of music the vinyl reveals. Also included is the original inner which has the all the lyrics printed on it!! This is a little known treasure of an album that I can highly recommend.

VINYL: Ex

LABEL: Ex

COVER: Ex

Side 1

1. Maybe one day
2. After the storm
3. Black nights
4. Compline anthem
5. Victoria by the window
6. Ghost of Christmas past

Side 2

1. Twisted sage
2. Wake up the morning
3. Silas the silent
4. Land of the dead
5. Warriors grave

• The sculptor

This was Mandy’s first solo album following the release of the highly regarded Sprigun’s album Magic Lady (released 2 years earlier). Just as with Magic Lady, this album contains some wonderful music, with flawless vocals from Mandy and great backing vocals. The lyrics are great, but there is a hint of pain, maybe due to her impending split with Mike Morton (the bass guitarist on this album).  The album contains tracks that hint at the traditional folk scene, while traditionalists will be dismayed to hear other tracks such as ‘After the storm’, ‘Black nights’ and ‘Silas the silent’ being contaminated by synthesisers. Personally, this experiment is what helps to make this album so unique and delicious – the atmosphere created on ‘Black nights’ is appropriately eerie. In addition, the opening track has a touch of the Caribbean meeting trad folk, but, I suspect,  the lyrics betray her angst within her personal life.