Customer Reviews

Focal Point

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I took a punt with Paul Cusick's first solo album, "Focal Point" - I'd never heard of the man and wasn't sure what to expect. What I got was a very pleasant surprise - a mix of Pink Floyd & Porcupine Tree with a bit of his own styling chucked in for good measure, "Focal Point" is an excellent album - I can't stop playing it! Brilliant production and great musicians (and a special mention for the drummers, Alex Cromarty & Andy Edwards - well played guys!) adds up to a great album that's well worth the money.

Highlights for me are the title track Focal Point, Everblue, Soul Words, Scared to Dream, Touch, and Hold On... I'm looking forward to many more albums from Paul in the future!

Its rare that a debut album grabs my attention so much, but this one has been played as much as when I heard Twelfth Night's "Fact and Fiction" for the first time - and I played it constantly for 2 days!

Paul has obviously been influenced by many recent, and not so recent, bands, and it's certainly possible to hear the style of Dream Theater, Porcupine Tree, Pineapple Thief, etc. on some tracks, but the overall effect is very fresh.

Each song has its own character and is distinctive in its own right.

Highly recommended.

Agree with all previous reviews. A wonderful piece of work. Highly commended. Music for the soul.

Prog is bigger than ever and you won't find a better exponent of the craft than Paul Cusick. Focal Point is demonstration that musical artistry is alive and well in this country.
You can hear influences from Porcupine Tree, David Gilmour, Dream Theatre, Muse and all the better for it.
This is a highly individual album from a talented artist and I highly recommend it to all Prog and rock lovers out there.

If you like prog-rock, prog-metal, even modern jazz (Opeth, Yes, Coheed & Cambria, definitely Porcupine Tree and Muse) ... you'll LOVE Focal Point. Well-produced, enough soundscapes to entertain the most avid muso. Drums and bass are tight, inventive, sublime. The hairs on my neck stood up... Guitars leap from modern metal to 70's slick rock effortlessly. Hard precision is nicely balanced with cool atmospherics, samples and piano. A great album.

There's not much more to say that hasn't already been said here but let's say it again. Focal Point is fantastic, well thought out progressive rock - this one is a must if you like that style. Nice one Q!

This album came to my attention via a small ad on Facebook so I decided to shell out a few quid and see if the hype was right. I am so glad that I did. This is an excellent debut album which has many apparent influences as well as a very strong sense of self. The songwriting is solid, the musicianship is faultless and the atmosphere engaging. I keep putting this on because I can't believe how good it is (a similar reaction to when I first discovered Rob Reed's Magenta).

Yes, there are echoes of Porcupine Tree and Pink Floyd as well as nods in the direction of Fugazi-era Marillion but this is not a bad thing. The music builds on these foundations to develop a very strong individual character that single Paul Cusick out as a very talented writer, arranger and musician. I love the track Touch - the track appears twice on the album with an extended version on the end.

All in all a superb album that I would warmly recommend.

Was going to give five stars but then where would the likes of 'Dark side of the moon', 'Brain Salad Surgery' and any Porcupine tree album be.

Just buy the Album and sit back and listen.
teriffic

I took a punt with Paul Cusick's first solo album, "Focal Point" - I'd never heard of the man and wasn't sure what to expect. What I got was a very pleasant surprise - a mix of Pink Floyd & Porcupine Tree with a bit of his own styling chucked in for good measure, "Focal Point" is an excellent album - I can't stop playing it! Brilliant production and great musicians (and a special mention for the drummers, Alex Cromarty & Andy Edwards - well played guys!) adds up to a great album that's well worth the money.

Highlights for me are the title track Focal Point, Everblue, Soul Words, Scared to Dream, Touch, and Hold On... I'm looking forward to many more albums from Paul in the future!

You can hear many different influences that have gone in to Focal Point but Paul has added his own unique style and the result is one of the best albums I have heard all year. From the high speed velocity of Big Cars to the haunting Touch and everything in between the album remains fresh throughout and hasn't been out of the CD player since I got hold of it.