You won't mind revisiting this release time and time again.
Frost*, the Progressive Rock band made up of members of Kino, It Bites, Arena and IQ, returns with a somewhat strange but nonetheless wonderful new release. Entitled 'The Rockfield Files' this package is a DVD/CD of their favourite songs (although not some of Jem Godfrey's favourites it has to be said), recorded live at the world famous Rockfield Studios and played straight through, mistakes and all (though they are few and far between) by the band.
Personally I would recommend that you watch the DVD of this release filmed by Magenta's Rob Reed because it offers so much more than the CD. Firstly we see the band performing 'Hyperventilate', new track 'Heartstrings' (which is brilliant), 'Black Light Machine', 'Dear Dead Days', 'Pocket Sun' and the epic 'Milliontown' and showing why they are regarded as some of the best musicians around today. Why I prefer the DVD over the CD is that interspersed between each track (if you want to watch it that is) are explanations of how each song came into being and what they mean to band leader Godfrey.
We get amusing tales of why some of these songs are not his true Frost* favourites and why no matter how hard they try to edit 'Milliontown', whenever they play it live, it still seems to come out at the same length or in some cases longer than the original. Elsewhere, as bonus items, you get a funny interview with Godfrey and John Mitchell conducted for some reason in the back of a Rolls Royce. To round things off in style the band have added two acoustic versions of '...Machine' and 'Lantern' which gives both songs a very different feel to their electric counterparts.
As live DVD's go 'The Rockfield Files' won't win any awards for special affects or visual gimmicks, but the obvious pleasure the band gets from playing music together comes across in every shot and you won't mind revisiting this release time and time again...now where's that new album??
Ian Johnson
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