Haven is a band I have always had time for since seeing them perform a couple of times during their early ‘learning phase’. But like Crackout, I was never really sure where they were heading musically, although there were faint hints of a soulful rock style. This album cements their identity as a rock band with the emphasis on introspective, message-laden guitar pop/rock.

The first two album tracks came and went without causing much of a stir. But track three, All For A Reason, appeared and my interest went off the Richter scale. The song is slow, deliberate, passionate, melodic and beautifully arranged. From this point on, the soulful vibe and quite beautiful songs keep coming. The First Time is a glacial paced ballad with a melody made in heaven, and a superb vocal that makes one believe in the sincerity of what is being communicated. The momentum is sustained with meandering, romantic songs like Wouldn’t Change A Thing, and the threatening, darker What Love Is. The album closes with the epic Getaway and soaring guitar chords, deft changes of pace, magic choruses, and another expressive vocal from leadman Gary Briggs.

Haven has met with positive audience reactions in the States, and with songs like these I suspect they will continue to build a tangible fan base over there. The band’s first album sold over 200,000 in the UK, and I suspect that this one could exceed that. Recommended.

3.5/5