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Title: Atmospheric, ambient-like early recordings from No-Man
Review: "Speak" is an anthology of early recordings from No-Man, i.e. Porcupine Tree's multi-instrumentalist Steven Wilson and vocalist Tim Bowness.Initially self-released on cassette in 1989, the album was digitally remastered from the original analogue 8-track tapes and partially re-recorded (vocals on all songs except two have been recorded anew) and released on CD in 1999 only in Italy. Sound quality is excellent, despite the analogue source.This is the first US release ever and appends an extra unreleased track (The Hidden Art of Man Ray), a 12-minute ambient track.These are slow, atmospheric pieces, with lots of reverberating guitars and droney keyboard (think of a cross between ambient-period Brian Eno and the Cocteau Twins, with male vocals).Highlights include "Heaven's Break" (which would later appear, in a different version, on No-Man's later album "Loveblows and Lovecries) and two covers (Nick Drake's "Pink Moon" and Donovan's "River Song").
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