In my very first Soundclick year end review (2003 seeing as you asked), I was fairly new to the site myself and feeling my way around the artists who were making the right noises at the time. None made the right noises like Nad Sylvan who became my very first Artist Of The Year. His early tracks from 2003 and 2004 are a shining example of the man's dedication and talent and are still played regular as clockwork in my household. Over the years Yellow Sky (December 2003) has become a loved and valued friend, as have been pretty much everything this superlative musician has ever released. Moreover, his Genesis inspired collaboration with Bonamici (Sylvan & Bonamic first, now called Unifaun) are out and out prog rock and I hate that genre with a passion.

There again, Nad has always been - first and foremost - an outstanding musician and performer, with a songwriters knack he was obviously born with. Sadly, he departed Soundclick a while ago and I am most happy that he has returned to the fold and Long Way From Home should show you exactly why I hold this musician in such high regard. I've never known anyone else (outside the real world music business of course) to take so much pain in getting it exactly right - not a semibreve or a quaver out of place. I know for a fact that Nad goes through endless machinations (and the number of mixes doesn't even bear thinking about) to make such faultless music and that is what makes him special to many of his fans (believe me, he has a great many).

Long Way From Home is a song dedicated to his mother, who sadly passed away this February and is an epic tear jerker power ballad and shows Nad at his finest. The song itself (according to the backstory) has taken shape over many years and wasn't finalised and recorded until his mother passed, and you can see why he would feel that way. There is a wonderful yearning feel to the track that is spine tingling, and the chorus just makes me shiver every time I hear it. I have compared Nad's vocal to many great names (Cat Stevens being the closest comparison I can come up with) but his style has either improved or this track lends itself to a slightly different vocal slant and one I find most pleasing. Agnete Sylvan (March 26 1940 - February 26 2009) not only gave the world her son, she gave them his music too and this is a beautifully realised tribute to them both.

Wonderful tear jerker. MUST HAVE world class music.