Review TUESDAY THE SKY “Indoor Enthusiast”

Tuesday the Sky is the elegant little brother of Fates Warning. While Jim Matheos’s sheer endless creativity provides the foundation for Fates Warning’s heavier sound, it is with Tuesday the Sky that allows him to explore calmer, more soulful territory. These are all instrumental pieces, occasionally surprising with some harder moments.

“Indoor Enthusiast” is the third album from this highly talented guitarist. Alongside the project founder, Dutch drummer Dennis Leeflang joins Matheos on this album.

The third album from Tuesday the Sky features eleven songs that are the perfect soundtrack for lazy autumn and winter nights. Neither chewing-gum-sticky rock nor harsh riffs make “Indoor Enthusiast” a great release. Rather, it is the gentle guitar of Matheos and the almost fragile momentum of songs such as “The Last Lonely Lamppost” that make this record an emotionally rich album. Songs such as “Zugzwang” follow a similar approach. These are atmospheric moments that demonstrate how much one can express without being loud or using vocals. The basic mood of each of these eleven compositions comes from the core of the song.

There are also some rocking moments, which provide the album with a good balance. “Does It Need to Be Loud” is the perfect example of what I just mentioned as it also plays with the pattern of calm and loud sections. The opener showcases this alternation in an even more intense manner, evoking the calmer moments of Fates Warning.

“Between Wind and Water” is not an autumn storm; it is more akin to the calm before the storm. Melancholy runs through “Memento Mori” as we approach the album’s finale. Via the faceted “Set Fire to the Stars”, we arrive at “Closure”. The title says it all. “Closure” is the final track on the album, concluding a brilliant musical journey which showcases Matheos’ creativity, as well as providing an outlet for calmer yet highly emotional songs. It is a great choice to have an additional outlet for these creative moments outside the world of Fates Warning. “Indoor Enthusiast” is an album of superbly crafted music that doesn’t necessarily need to be roaringly loud.