You can't help but feel that Steve is pouring his heart out here as the depth of emotion on 'Hinterland' is something seldom matched in any jazz recording that I've heard. The album has that rare quality of unpredictability forged by the density of the layers and textures. You can go back to it time and time again and hear new voices and ideas appear that somehow passed you by the first time round, a feature not easily achieved on solo piano. It's never clear which way he will turn next as the music moves through jazz, song, Celtic, ballad and classical feels, switching in intensity at will, all seamlessly woven together and exquisitely performed. Occasional bebop lines and fluid improvisations are punctuated by thematic material that reappears in a new guise only to give way to the next avenue the listener is lead down. Perhaps the biggest compliment I can give is that I honestly can't think of anyone else who could have made this beautiful record.".