EBB – The Mirror

Having previously heard a few of the tracks from this album as part of their live sets, I had been impatiently awaiting the new album from EBB. What I had seen on stage could have been seen as musical amuse-bouches, tantalising appetizers which made me hungry for more and the album did not leave me disappointed.

Often, in the live shows, the songs can come a close second to the costumes, back projection and the antics of the band members who go full steam ahead to deliver performances that will stay in the mind and memory. But with the album it is a chance to appreciate the talent of the musicians and the grandeur of the pure music without any sensory distractions, as pleasurable and entertaining as they always are.

The Mirror is a collection of songs that would make it impossible for me to make a list of top albums for 2025 without it being included and me putting it pretty close to the top of my own private chart. A tough call for the number one slot but this is a definite contender.

The first track, Evenfall, at a little over two minutes, might be short but that doesn’t take away from its beauty. Painting an evocative and almost melancholy picture of self-reflection. A revelatory theme that seems to run through the whole album.

Next up is Reason and one of the aforementioned songs that I have seen performed on stage and it is just as wonderful when listened to as part of the album. Dark lyrics but delivered with such passion that they are not depressing. Plus, at almost nine minutes it has everything a true Prog rock song should have. Intelligent lyrics and vocals combined with instrumentals that pulse so much that they could almost come alive. Erin Bennet is a superlative guitarist and Nikki Francis’s keyboard work delivers a texture that holds it all together. Another song that has been played on stage live is No One’s Child. Starting off with confusing soundscapes it soon gets into its paces with a tune that makes me think of Caravan or Camel at their peak. Another song with a powerful theme and strong lyrics. Again, Erin’s guitar playing is top notch and had me playing along on my own Fender air guitar.

Following is The Mirror, another long song, at just over eleven minutes. Delivering the meaningful lyrics, Erin demonstrates she is one of those singers that can make it impossible for anyone else to sing her songs without sounding like they were weak amateurs. They are her lyrics, and they seem to reflect some emotional journey that I am probably glad that I have not taken. As always, the band are no slouches, and they inject it with power and energy to ensure that the listener is never allowed to become maudlin by the words. Just sit back and enjoy the musical trip.

That’s How it Goes, dare I say it, starts off sounding virtually like a funk song, with a bouncing guitar that suddenly leads into an almost Hackett era Genesis track, if the lead singer had been Erin. Try and predict the next section and you’d never get it right. EBB pack more into one song than many of the current trendy pop acts will manage in their whole careers.

Next to land is Cuckoo. An almost bucolic tapestry that somehow manages to make nature sound almost menacing. But, as always, it is the great playing that provides even more emotional resonance, thanks to the flute playing of Nikki. Then, running straight into the next track, Take to the Stars, comes another satisfyingly long prog song that demonstrates why EBB are more than just a great band when let loose on stage. Kitty Biscuits and Suna Dasi’s backing vocals give it, in places, an eerie feel and the whole song is full of passion wrapped in yearning and regret. You can listen to the lyrics but also feel the emotion.

Yes, I know that Erin is American, well nobody is perfect, but the flute playing at the start of Day 19 gives it a quintessentially English feel and as it picks up the pace it comes across like a musical race that would not have made it out of place on a Jethro Tull album. Although I doubt that Mr Anderson would ever have included lyrics about having a period in any of his songs or managed to sound so damned seductive in the process.

Finally, rounding off the album, is Geneva. An upbeat tale that seems to continue the over all theme and mood embedded in the whole of the album. Raw lyrics which combine the pleasures and pains that can be found in the light and darkness that life gives to us all. A stunning denouement that ends the album’s story with optimism and hope.

Nobody could ever accuse EBB of being predictable and this album reinforces that. I might have thought that it was too long since their last release, but The Mirror has been worth the wait. But the metaphorical meal, which I used at the start of my review, continues as they left me hungry for more.

TRACK LISTING
01. Evenfall (2:19)
02. Reason (8:45)
03. No One’s Child (6:21)
04. The Mirror (11:03)
05. That’s How It Goes (6:44)
06. Cuckoo (4:04)
07. Take To The Stars (9:06)
08. Day 19 (5:51)
09. Geneva (7:20)

Total Time – 61:37

MUSICIANS
Erin Bennett – Guitar, Lead Vocals
Suna Dasi – Backing Vocals, Synth
Bad Dog – Bass
Anna Fraser – Drums
Nikki Francis – Keyboards, Flute, Saxophone
Kitty Biscuits – Backing Vocals, Spoken Word

ADDITIONAL INFO
Record Label: Boudicca Records
Country of Origin: UK
Date of Release: 30^th November 2025

LINKS
EBB – Website | Facebook | Facebook (Group) | Bandcamp | YouTube | X | Instagram