Review: The last album to feature John Williams, its pre-Christmas release was not only an attempt to capture the gift-buying market, but reflected the content of perhaps the most accomplished work the band had done since Francis Monkman's departure. Opening with an interpretation of a Christmas classical music stalwart (including sleighbells!), with track titles like "Mother Russia" and "A Girl in Winter", how can one not associate this with cold, wet nights (preferably snow instead of rain)? Most of Sky's classical reworkings leave me cold, but Troika is one of the exceptions. Herbie offers his almost-contracual "silly" piece to the album in the shape of "Telex from Peru", and the album's quiet piece comes courtesy of a rare Fry composition, "Then and Now". Eminently listenable, full of good tunes, and more occasions than most for the individuals to display prowess with their chosen instruments, not to mention a replacement for "Hotta" as the encore piece when playing live, the aptly-named "Son of Hotta". --plum.cr