Album Notes

Reviews in media:
"This album floored me!" - The Laser`s Edge/Ken (USA)

"Album of the Month" - German Eclipsed Magazine (april 2010 edition).

"...I put the cd in my player and for almost 1 hour I was speechless; amazing psychedelic, progressive rock and an outstanding production. ...These lyrics combined with the psychedelic and progressive rock make the album an impressive experience; there are only highlights... Sparrows of the Dutch The Barstool Philosophers is must for all Queensryche fans and progressive rock fans. BUY THIS RECORD!!!! (92/100)"
- Digital Steel.com

"...therefor our nominaton for the Italian Progawards 2009 for Best Debut Album and Best Artwork..., a band that promises much, because it has the potential to become one of the great modern progressive rock manifestations....8/10".
- Manticornio (Mexico)

"...the truth told by these Philosophers are rare in the current music circus..., great melodies, great feeling, great drama..., an unbelievable good frontman (wundersanger)..., one of the top albums of the year..., impressive!"
- Progressive Newsletter/Gaesteliste (Germany)

"...While listening to Afterglow, the opening track from Sparrows, my prog heart beat a bit faster. This track shows that the music of the Dutch Barstool Philosophers, has everything to please people who are interested in progressive rock music with metal influences...Lead singer Leon Brouwer has a fantastic voice...The compositions combined with the lyrics make this album a strong musical concept. I couldn’t find any weak spot at all on this fine album..."
- Background Magazine

"...the music on the disc is marked by an exquisite singer of Leon Brouwer, but also enormously stable and good musicians that have obvious and real playing pleasure, ...undoubtedly the band's music has to be taken seriously, then this undeniable disc is very well thought out and eloquently., ...this disc adds that little extra that is so important, ...Also The Barstool Philosophers have a fabulous precision, fine detail and harmony and partly therefor, an abundance of tasty substance, so one must just get carried away, ...and we proclaim this album without hesitation to the year's best debut."
- Merlinprog (Norway)

"...Like Fish-era Marillion & Pendragon crossed with Parallels & Inside Out period Fates Warning, maybe add some of Queensryche's more laid back but powerful moments, this band know when to act on release and retention to behold the musical mantra implemented on this record, where there is a 'balance' and not a 'zig-zag' of tuneage brought forth. Sparrows possesses the big melodic standing of what a good progressive hard rock album should be, the tunes hold strong alongside the musicianship - certainly a band to keep an eye on..." (4/5)
- Ytsejam.com

"...The Barstool Philosophers self released debut Sparrows shows that this band has spirit and talent in abundance from start to finish. Sparrows is filled with great hooks and melodies in true prog metal fashion. Some of the highlights include but are not limited to “Silence”, “Lies” and “Descendents of the Fall” yet with each listen I find another stand out track. The production is clean very well recorded, mixed and mastered by the very talented keyboard player René Kroon" (4/5)
- Power of Prog.com

"...For me Sparrows has only excellent tracks with some higlights in the excitng Afterglow, the melodic Silence, the emotional Dreamscape and the furieus and slightly experimental Eyes Show The Heart. ..Leon Brouwer is a truly excellent singer, his voice refers to Jamers Labrie (Dream Theater), Mac (Threshold) and Ian Gillan (Deep Purple). ...It is the quality that does The Barstool Philosophers protrude above ground level..." (4/5)
- Proglog AFTERGLOW

"...this is a top album, it can be described as genius.. The album contains 9 tracks, all with the predicate "Art with a very big capitol A" ...Did the Netherlands had in recent years masterpieces of bands like Knight Area, Mangrove and FeedForward, It has with The Barstool Philosophers a fantastic new progressive rockband."
- Metalkrant.com