"The Heavens is a musical journey into space with a powerful collection of free flowing symphonic ambient tracks that depict the astronomical phenomena and mysteries of our solar system and beyond". That’s how this CD is described on its sleeve. Garry Judd has a plethora of ideas here, all of them wonderfully executed. It is much more symphonic than ambient, and in fact, sounds like the soundtrack to a sci-fi film.

1. Prelude - The Journey Begins
2. Luna
3. Olympus Mons
4. Asteroid
5. Chiron
6. Comet
7. The Rings Of Uranus
8. Miranda
9. Pluto And Charon
10. Gaia Dancing
11. Postlude - The Journey Ends

An indie film, actually, since it is a bit quirky for something in the John Williams genre.

The film is yet to be made, but Judd has an extensive resume for television programs, mostly British ones, that range from a comedy called "All About Me" to a game show called "Dial a Date". He also writes "serious" compositions. He even has different web sites, www.garryjudd.com for commercial and www.garryjudd.org for his concert and solo music.

"The Heavens" shows both sides of Judd’s talents, although it leans more heavily towards his orchestral work. "Prelude – The Journey Begins" is a classical piece under two minutes long, but utilizing a full orchestra.

The second track, "Luna", opens with a kalimba (thumb piano) and a synth line which merges into a woman’s voice. Strangely, no one is credited on the CD besides Judd, and no information on the musicians seems to be available on the Internet. "Luna" is New Age-y, with the woman singing "Loo-oo-nah" over and over, backed by simple keyboard riffs. Later the song adds the voices of the astronauts of the first moon landing. It veers towards being delightfully cheesy – green cheese in this case.

Each of the eleven tracks changes moods for the different places visited in space. "Olympus Mons" is a playful orchestral piece. "Asteroid" starts softly, but a chorus comes in all of a sudden, and it ends with a sax playing in the foreground.

"Chiron" is a lush piece that would almost fit in a forties Hollywood film. "Comet" is more modern, with a piano backed by a heavier beat and many instruments, including a pedal steel. "Miranda" is a pop song with a female vocalist and chorus. "Gaia Dancing" has a World music ambience that would fit on an Enigma/Deep Forest CD.

"The Heavens" is full of lovely music, appealing and soothing in a New Age way, but never repetitious or sleep-inducing like much of that genre. This is a trip well worth taking.

~ Dave Howell

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