"The Millpond Years" is a kind of cult secret that is literally begging to be discovered by a new generation of music fans. When this record was released in 1988 it barely registered in England and the music press (apart from Melody Maker) seemed oblivious to it's existence. And Also The Trees are a great British group who are in dire need of a reassessment by the public. This album is in retrospect their finest simply because it combines the poetical with the organic in a completely new way never heard in any music up to this point. Like all AATT's music, "The Millpond Years" is haunting and complex. They conjure up a world of intense rural disharmony and darkness which is increasingly seductive with each listen. I think the great problem with AATT for many people is the "awkward" sound which greets them on initial listens. Like the greatest paintings or poetry, the beauty of this record is that it creates a unique vision which seeps into your mind and soul and still rewards you years later. Forget all those ridiculous "Cure-comparisons" and "gothic" tags that this remarkable band have been lumbered with over the years and just listen to "The Millpond Years" and share 45 minutes of your life in a deep and sensuous world that rock music has never dreamed of before. An unequivocal masterpiece.

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