It doesn't bode well when I get a "Forbidden: Access Denied" error message when attempting to visit an artist's website to get more information on said artist, especially if that artist has just put out his debut release. Hopefully Mr. Stewart will get that problem resolved soon. So all I really have to go on is Spotted Peccary's one-sheet from which I'll quote a little. "The album is a musical chronicle of a fictional story I've had in my mind," explains Stewart. "The literal story arc follows the destruction of earth, the escape of a few seeds of humanity, and the discovery of a new world." Kind of a generic sci-fi plot I suppose, but it's the music we're really interested in, not the story per-se. Stewart executes this undertaking with guitar, bass, synthesizers, drums and percussion programming, and most prominent- piano, and the only vocal is an atmospheric wordless one by Deborah Martin on one track.

Opening with the title track, a wistful, romantic piano-dominated theme with a nice melody and just the right amount of orchestration from synths and percussion, you should get a pretty good idea of what you're in for. As the journey continues, synth orchestration grows fuller and more lush, and there is an emotive quality that can't be denied. Still, overall I get the general impression of placidity as opposed to adventure, and in that regard it's kind of disappointing. Instead of being super-cinematic, the music on 'A World Bathed in Sunlight' falls more into the grandiose New Age category, and piano passages wouldn't be out of step with Jim Brickman, David Lanz, Michael Nyman and John Tesh. Still, if you like that kind of music, Matthew Stewart's debut might just be your cup of tea. I will probably play this occasionally in my bookstore where it won't ruffle any customer feathers.