The live album has always been a cornerstone in the recorded output of any self-respecting prog rock band through the years. Whether it be the short but to the point single album such as Marillion's 'Real To Reel', the standard double live such as Genesis' 'Second's Out', or the sprawling triple, such as ELP's 'Welcome Back My Friends.'  Mostly Autumn's new live double CD, 'That Night In Leamington', most certainly fits into the latter bracket, as it clocks in at a whopping 2 hours and twenty minutes!!!!

This is, of course, is far from their first live release. There've had many preceding this one, but 'That Night In Leamington' takes on a very special significance. Heather Findlay had played a pivotal role as vocalist in the band's journey from its inception in 1997 until 2010. This album, along with an accompanying DVD release, documents her final performance with the band back in April 2010.

The opening to the album echoes the opening of another great live prog rock album from yesteryear, Twelfth Night's 'Live And Let Live', as an expectant and excited crowd clap and cheer the atmospheric opening to the dramatic 'Fading Colours' before the band kick in. What follows, as I mentioned, is a very long concert with the material on offer spanning Mostly Autumn's entire career up to that point, from the first album 'For All We Shared' up to Findlay's last, 2008's 'Glass Shadows'.

Findlay shines throughout, especially on the likes of 'Carpe Diem' and the ten minute rendition of 'Shrinking Violet', a track close to the hearts of Findlay and Mostly Autumn fans. The heavy folky, Tull-esque tracks 'Winter Mountain' and 'Simple Ways' sound mighty fine, and the band's earlier, more proggy, folk output is well represented with the likes of 'The Spirit Of Autumn Past Pt.2', 'The Last Bright Light', 'The Dark Before The Dawn', 'Half The Mountain' and 'Nowhere To Hide' all featuring. 'Mother Nature' is the real epic, stretching to a seventeen minute workout including a superb guitar solo from Bryan Josh.

The bands more recent material such as 'Flowers For Guns' and 'Unoriginal Sin' sounds a bit more contemporary, less progressive and slightly bland to me in comparison, but it's two of the very early tracks, 'Heroes Never Die', featuring another scorching Josh solo, and 'Evergreen' that provide the finale to the album.

'That Night In Leamington' is a fine testament to Heather Findlay's time with Mostly Autumn. It's absolutely essential for all Mostly Autumn fans, but would also serve as the perfect introduction for new listeners to the band's music up until that point. Findlay has since started out on her own solo journey, with the rest of Mostly Autumn deciding to carry on with former backing vocalist Olivia Spamenn stepping into her shoes.  They released their first post-Findlay album 'Go Well Diamond Heart' late last year.

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