AMG Review of Missing Links, Vol. 4: Pathways & Promenades

Dave Thompson
All Music Guide

Anthony Phillips has never looked back. In a career rife with twists and turns and, somewhat contradictorily, a wealth of retrospectives, his own musical vision has forged on determinedly, to create a career that has seamlessly combined classical elements and experimental instrumentals across some two dozen albums and collaborations. Pathways & Promenades is one of the retrospectives, this time a road map that traces Phillips' work from the late '80s and beyond, from Double Exposure and Terra X through to 2004's Nobody's Land Act 2. And, like the parent albums, this compilation is nearly flawless, seamless. The songs are delicate when they need to be ("The Golden Road to Samarkand"), but don't hesitate to beef up when beckoned -- "Cascades." Also included are eight tracks written for various television, film, and Soundscapes CD releases. "Light Rain" will doubtless be familiar to anyone who has turned on a TV in the U.K., but dig a little deeper into the album to find many songs receiving their first commercial release, including the aforementioned "Cascades" and "It's All Greek to Me," which was recorded for a library tie-in to the 2004 Olympics. While the closing "Halcyon Days" is the only truly unreleased track here (recorded during the Private Parts & Pieces, Vol. 9 sessions), the entire album is a dreamscape of epic proportions, and essential listening for everyone who cares about its maker.