No Static At All (A Journey into AOR 1976-1986) compilation review

12 09 2026

No Static At All (A Journey into AOR 1976-1986) is a new 3 CD compilation from Cherry Red that takes a deep dive, beyond some of the more obvious FM radio staples of the time into some less well-known deeper tracks from Boston, Chicago, Foreigner, Pat Benatar, Rainbow, Yes and more. It comes with wonderful cover-art and an informative booklet, with key information about all the acts featured on the compilation.

From the classic songs blaring out of FM radios and car stereos the world over to hidden jewels, this is the story of 10 years of Adult Orientated Rock from 1976 to 1986. Pump your hair full of hairspray and put on your flared denim jeans, lets rock!

Boston’s Something About You opens disc one, from the bands self-titled album that sold over 17 million copies, a typically well-crafted multi-layered dual guitar piece. Washington DC band Angel deliver rich harmonies and punchy guitars on 1977’s Don’t Leave Me Lonely, one of the early gems on this compilation.

Styx contribute Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man), a progressive song that’s a world away from their soft-rock hit Babe that landed a few short years later. Another band with a classic prog underbelly are Aviary with their keyboard heavy Feel The Heart.

New England add a touch of new wave / power pop sheen to Don’t Ever Wanna Lose Ya, with the band setting their phaser pedal to stun! The guitar riff that drives 707’s I Could Be Good For You makes this an AOR anthem worthy of rediscovery.

Heading back to 1978 for the 7” version of their massive hit Hold The Line, Toto were later to dominate the AOR / classic rock scene with Africa and Roseanna. Straight Lines contribute the jazzy, summer sound of I’m Talking To You, one of the highlights of this compilation. Asylum Records solo artist Terence Boylan appears with the Fleetwood Mac at their most offbeat like Where Are You Hiding?, another piece that deserves more than its status of “radio hit”.

A rare appearance from a non US artist features the UK band Rainbow with their timeless hit single Since You Been Gone. Make sure you join in with a hearty “huh” at the appropriate point to celebrate Graham Bonnet’s timeless vocal performance. Nils Lofgren, who went on to become a key member of the E Street Band, appears with probably his most well-known solo song, Shine Silently from 1979. I saw Nils on the bill of The Who’s August 1979 Wembley Stadium show, alongside AC/DC and The Stranglers. I remember a trampoline being part of Nils performance. Starz close disc one with their catchy as hell but dated lyrically.

Eye in the sky

Journey open the second disc in this collection with 1981’s Stone In Love, showcasing the delightfully raspy vocals of Steve Perry that you will recognise from their classic Don’t Stop Believin. The power-pop influenced Caught Up In You from .38 Special is a hidden gem that is itching for rediscovery. The guitar work is particularly imaginative and varied in style. The band feel like a US version of the UK band City Boy, a favourite of mine from the late 70s.

The mighty Blue Oyster Cult are represented by the 7″ version of Burnin’ For You from 1981, another new wave / power pop influenced piece, from the band who always delivered great arrangements. Pat Benatar and the power ballad Shadows Of The Night was a single in 1982. Benatar is a great rock vocalist, and her album from the previous year, Precious Time, is a great album, with Fire & Ice a standout track that refuses to age.

Alien from Atlanta Rhythm Section changes the mood, with a Rhodes driven piece of Christopher Cross-like yacht rock, topped by delicious harmonies, giving the song its place as one of my favourites from this three CD set.

REO Speedwagon were never one of my favourites from the early 80s but Keep On Loving You does act as a portal to 1980, and will remind you of the hits blasting out from your FM radio. I am particularly partial to a lot of The Alan Parsons Project albums, and Eye In The Sky is one of my favourite tracks. A light, delicate piece with harmonies that are gold-plated on this single, here in its 7″ format.

A world away from their Prog heyday, a reinvigorated Yes serve up Owner Of A Lonely Heart, a Trevor Horn produced colossus driven by the revolutionary Fairlight CMI digital workstation and a tasty and instantly recognisable guitar riff. Asia and Only Time Will Tell is a powerful pop rock piece, featuring the vocals of the late John Wetton.

Another unknown by me act is Balance with their strutting In For The Count from 1982. Quarterflash and 1980s Find Another Fool also leans into new wave stylings, and has an interesting, slightly post-punk drum performance. Pages mutated into the massive act Mr. Mister, but in this incarnation are a Michael McDonald influenced pop-rock / jazz-fusion band, with Sesatia from 1981, a track I enjoyed a lot, even though it was new to me.

The hugely successful Chicago appear here with Chains, that is ushered in with a dated keyboard sound, but soon improves with an addictive guitar and bass heavy verse. Rick Springfield’s Don’t Talk To Strangers is a more substantial piece than the song he is remembered for, Jessies Girl, which is lighter but still a piece of early 80s classic pop.

Kenny Loggins & Steve Perry duet on the catchy Don’t Fight It, that features Neil Giraldo from Pat Benatar’s band on guitar. Don’t Fight It reached a respectable #17 on the Billboard chart when released as a single in 1982.

That was yesterday

The third and final disc opens with Night Ranger’s Don’t Tell Me You Love Me, another power pop influenced rock piece from one of the finest years in pop, 1982. The chorus is pure FM rock, and all the better for it. The band FM contribute a rare UK entry to this compilation, and it hits all the right tropes on That Girl – Simmonds drum roll and all!

The Outfield and All The Love In The World features Andy Summers-like guitar lines and a glorious guitar solo. Its easy to forget how massive Foreigner were during the period covered by the compilation. That Was Yesterday was taken from the Agent Provocateur album from 1984.

Dakota and Runaway suffers slightly from the dated electronic drums, but it has a hint of 80s electronica, with the synth bass line and a chorus current band The Midnight would kill for. Songwriter extraordinaire Russ Ballard, formerly of Argent, appears here as an artist with Voices, that appeared on an episode of Miami Vice. You can only listen to this song if you promise to roll up the sleeves of your pastel coloured suit jacket. The synths are particularly interesting on Voices.

Black/White is a lesser known single from Mr. Mister, who had massive hits with Broken Wings and Kyrie. Robert Palmer’s cover of Cherelle’s I Didn’t Mean To Turn You On is a bit on an outlier here, more pop / funk in its roots than AOR, but Palmer is always a welcome addition to any compilation from the 70s or 80s, so no complaints from me.

Billy Idol’s Eyes Without A Face is one of his finest 80s singles, a top 5 Billboard hit. i-TEN’s I Don’t Want To Lose You was produced by Keith Olsen and Steve Lukather, and has some wonderful Rhodes piano sections to give it a slightly different flavour to other songs on this collection.

Robert Tepper’s No Easy Way Out appeared in Stallone’s Rocky IV. The compilation ends with two giants – John Parr’s massive single St. Elmo’s Fire (Man In Motion) – which is as much yacht rock as AOR and Boston’s final top 40 US hit, Can’tcha Say (You Believe In Me) / Still In Love, a mini epic that shifts tempo mid-way through, throwing in some lovely guitar harmonics and unconventional bass lines.

Some of the production sounds on No Static At All (A Journey into AOR 1976-1986) may have not stood the test of time, but the song writing is strong throughout this compilation. Tight harmonies were a crucial ingredient for a musical genre that time forgot, with this compilation hopefully awakening some musical memories for you to enjoy.

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TRACK LISTING

DISC ONE

Boston – Something About You
Angel – Don’t Leave Me Lonely
Styx – Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)
Aviary – Feel The Heart
New England – Don’t Ever Wanna Lose Ya (7″ Edit)
707 – I Could Be Good For You
Toto – Hold The Line (7″ Version)
Eddie Money – Shakin’
Donnie Iris – Ah! Leah!
Straight Lines – I’m Talking To You
Terence Boylan – Where Are You Hiding?
The Gregg Allman Band – Come And Go Blues
Red Rider – Lunatic Fringe
Aldo Nova – Fantasy (7″ Version)
Gamma – I’m Alive
Barry Goudreau – Dreams
Rainbow – Since You Been Gone (7″ Version)
Zon – Put On The Show
Nils Lofgren – Shine Silently
Starz – Cherry Baby

DISC TWO

Journey – Stone In Love
.38 Special – Caught Up In You
Blue Oyster Cult – Burnin’ For You (7″ Version)
Pat Benatar – Shadows Of The Night (7″ Edit)
Atlanta Rhythm Section – Alien
Little River Band – The Night Owls (7″ Version)
REO Speedwagon – Keep On Loving You
The Alan Parsons Project – Eye In The Sky (7″ Version)
Yes – Owner Of A Lonely Heart (7″ Version)
Asia – Only Time Will Tell (7″ Version)
Loverboy – Gangs In The Street
LeRoux – Turning Point
Balance – In For The Count
Quarterflash – Find Another Fool
Pages – Sesatia
Chicago – Chains
Rick Springfield – Don’t Talk To Strangers (7″ Version)
Peter Cetera – Livin’ In The Limelight
Kenny Loggins & Steve Perry – Don’t Fight It

DISC THREE

Night Ranger – Don’t Tell Me You Love Me (7″ Edit)
FM – That Girl
Kansas – Fight Fire With Fire
The Outfield – All The Love In The World (7″ Version)
Joe Lynn Turner – Endlessly (7″ Version)
Foreigner – That Was Yesterday
Giuffria – Call To The Heart
Dakota – Runaway (Promo Single Edit)
Billy Satellite – Satisfy Me
Russ Ballard – Voices (7″ Version)
Mr Mister – Black/White
Robert Palmer – I Didn’t Mean To Turn You On
Streets – Crimes In Mind
Billy Idol – Eyes Without A Face (7″ Version)
Icon – Shot At My Heart
Eric Martin Band – Sucker For A Pretty Face
i-TEN – I Don’t Want To Lose You
Robert Tepper – No Easy Way Out
John Parr – St. Elmo’s Fire (Man In Motion) (7″ Version)
Boston – Can’tcha Say (You Believe In Me) / Still In Love

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News: Yes Unveils New “Fly From Here – Return Trip” Edition

29 09 2025

Cherry Red are releasing a new version of Fly From Here – Return Trip from Yes, in a variety of formats including a 1CD, 2LP (140g with a tip on gatefold sleeve) and a blu-ray edition that features Atmos and 5.1 mixes by Richard Whittaker in addition to original stereo mixes, and 5.1, stereo and Dolby Atmos instrumental mixes.

This 2025 edition also includes bonus instrumental mixes of the Fly From Here suite.

Yes - Fly From Here (Return Trip) cover art

Yes recorded the original version of Fly from Here during breaks in touring in 2010 and 2011, during which they enlisted former Yes frontman Trevor Horn as producer.

The version included in this 2025 reissue is the alternative version of the album titled Fly from Here – Return Trip, which features the classic Drama era line-up who were reunited in 2018 to create a new version featuring all new vocals from Trevor Horn plus new instrumental parts, alongside a more organic mix highlighting Chris Squire’s unique voice and bass contributions as well as additional parts from Steve Howe and Geoff Downes.

For long-term Yes fans reading this review, I must state up front that I am a massive fan of the Drama era, and I am an unabashed Trevor Horn fan, so whilst I loved the original version, featuring vocalist Benoît David and keyboardist Oliver Wakeman, the Return Trip is my favourite take on the album.

Yes 2018 lineup

My original review from 2018 still stands, and whilst there does not appear to have been a remastering for this 2025 re-issue (it was not needed!), the main addition is the instrumental version of the Fly From Here Suite, which is a joy to listen to, and I am particularly looking forward to hearing the Blu-ray Dolby Atmos mix from Richard Whittaker (not supplied for review), as Fly From Here has always been a “widescreen” mix for me, and so will surely shine brightly in the surround sound format, as well as the hi-resolution mixes.

It was a moving experience listening to the album again, and re-discovering Pt II – Sad Night At The Airfield, which is one of my favourite Trevor Horn vocal performances, and Life On A Film Set (based on Riding A Tide from The Buggles second album), a pop/prog masterpiece. This is the definitive version of a late period Yes classic album.

Fly From Here – Return Trip is released on 28 November 2025.

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Buy Fly From Here (Return Trip) vinyl / CD / Blu-ray from Burning Shed

Blu-ray

1 Overture
2 Pt I – We Can Fly
3 Pt II – Sad Night at The Airfield
4 Pt III – Madman at The Screens
5 Pt IV – Bumpy Ride
6 Pt V – We Can Fly Reprise
7 The Man You Always Wanted Me to Be
8 Life On a Film Set
9 Hour Of Need
10 Solitaire
11 Don’t Take No for an Answer
12 Into The Storm

Includes Dolby Atmos / 5.1 / Stereo / Atmos Instrumental / 5.1 Instrumental / Stereo instrumental / Original Stereo mixes

CD

1 Overture
2 Pt I – We Can Fly
3 Pt II – Sad Night at The Airfield
4 Pt III – Madman at The Screens
5 Pt IV – Bumpy Ride
6 Pt V – We Can Fly Reprise
7 The Man You Always Wanted Me to Be
8 Life On a Film Set
9 Hour Of Need
10 Solitaire
11 Don’t Take No for an Answer
12 Into The Storm

Bonus Tracks – Instrumental

13 Overture
14 Pt I – We Can Fly
15 Pt II – Sad Night at The Airfield
16 Pt III – Madman at The Screens
17 Pt IV – Bumpy Ride
18 Pt V – We Can Fly Reprise

Vinyl LP

Side One
1 Overture
2 Pt I – We Can Fly
3 Pt II – Sad Night at The Airfield
4 Pt III – Madman at The Screens
5 Pt IV – Bumpy Ride
6 Pt V – We Can Fly Reprise

Side Two
7 The Man You Always Wanted Me to Be
8 Life On a Film Set
9 Hour Of Need

Side Three
10 Solitaire
11 Don’t Take No for an Answer
12 Into The Storm

Side Four (Instrumental Version of the Fly From Here suite)
13 Overture
14 Pt I – We Can Fly
15 Pt II – Sad Night at The Airfield
16 Pt III – Madman at The Screens
17 Pt IV – Bumpy Ride
18 Pt V – We Can Fly Reprise


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White Willow – Terminal Twilight (2025 remaster) review

25 08 2025

White Willows sixth studio album Terminal Twilight (2011) is re-issued by Karisma Records on 19 September 2025, in remastered form on CD and for the first time on vinyl.
 
Meticulously remastered by the band’s head honcho Jacob Holm-Lupo, this is the last in a series of six White Willow re-releases on Karisma Records.

To paraphrase Chloe Kelly from the title winning England Women’s team, the first one was so nice, I had to review it twice.

For my initial review back in 2011, I was a relative newcomer to the world of Jacob Holm-Lupo, as I was only aware of his Opium Cartel albums, but Terminal Twilight quickly became my favourite of the Norwegian’s musician’s myriad of releases.

I am particularly excited to get my hands on a vinyl copy of the album, with a limited translucent orange vinyl release available in September 2025.

Like all of Jacob’s remasters, a huge amount of care and consideration has informed the process. Jacob does not just whack up the volume, so brick walled this album is not!

The bass synth on album opener Hawks Circle The Mountain is warm and deep, and the placement of individual instruments and performances feels much more natural and open than the original mix (which was still excellent by the way). So whilst the album sounds better than ever before, it’s a subtle but worthwhile upgrade.

One of the finest modern day progressive rock albums continues with the beautiful Snowswept, highlighting the clarity of vocalist Sylvia Erichsen’s vocals. The playful bass and drum interplay is an absolute joy to behold.

Kansas Regrets saw Jacob collaborating once again with no-man’s Tim Bowness, on the least progressive sounding track on the album. The production really shines on this new remaster, and Kansas Regrets is one of Tim’s most rewarding guest appearances to date.

Red Leaves gives off Jeff Wayne’s War Of The World vibes, and the gradual switch from vocals, piano & guitar to the full band performance is breathtaking.

And before you know it, we arrive on Floor 67, a song that over the years has become one of my favourite tracks. This dystopian epic became even more powerful for me after I saw Ben Wheatley’s 2015 film adaptation of J.G. Ballard’s High Rise. Floor 67 feels like a perfect musical companion piece to this shocking film.

The lyrics are so on point whilst the organs and guitar parts flit between the powerful drums and jagged guitar lines, along with snatches of lost radio transmission-like vocals and a performance that seems to conjure up apocalyptic weather systems that batter the residents high up on Floor 67.

As you gather your senses after the onslaught delivered by the previous track, Natasha of the Burning Woods delivers a mostly instrumental palette cleanser.

The album’s longest track is the 13 minute Searise, again pointing at the potential climate-change led demise for the unlucky occupants of Floor 67.

Searise is White Willow at their most musically brutal, and the epic song slowly fades away as White Willow ushers in the closing track, A Rumour Of Twilight, a calm after the (literal) storm instrumental that signifies either an abrupt end or hopefully the faint hope of a new beginning.

Terminal Twilight is a powerful, lovingly produced and executed modern day progressive classic, that deserves to be re-appraised in its 2025 remastered form, either on vinyl or CD.

I’ll see you up on Floor 67, don’t be late.

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CD TRACKLIST:                                     

Hawks Circle the Mountain
Snowswept
Kansas Regrets
Red Leaves
Floor 67
Natasha of the Burning Woods
Searise
A Rumour of Twilight                        

LP TRACKLIST:

Hawks Circle the Mountain
SSeariset
Kansas Regrets
Red Leaves
A Rumour of Twilight
Floor 67
Natasha of the Burning Woods
Searise                     


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Steven Wilson’s ‘The Overview’ Album Review

19 02 2025

Steven Wilson’s eighth Studio album The Overview is released by Fiction Records (The Cure / Death from Above 1979 / St. Vincent) on 14 March 2025.

Steven Wilson "The Overview" album art


The forty-two-minute album consists of two tracks: Objects Outlive Us and The Overview, each inspired by the “overview effect” experienced by astronauts looking back at the Earth from space.

Wilson describes the album as being “a 42-minute long journey based on the reported “overview effect”, whereby astronauts seeing the Earth from space undergo a transformative cognitive shift, most often experiencing an overwhelming appreciation and perception of beauty, and an increased sense of connection to other people and the Earth as a whole. However, not all experiences are positive; some see the Earth truly for what it is, insignificant and lost in the vastness of space, and the human race as a troubled species. As a reflection of that, the album presents images and stories of life on Earth, both good and bad.”

Alongside Steven, The Overview album features studio appearances from regular collaborators Craig Blundell (drums), Adam Holzman (keyboards), Randy McStine (guitars) and Rotem Wilson (spoken word), and features a set of lyrics from Andy Partridge (XTC) on one of the pieces (Objects: Meanwhile) that is part of the first track, Objects Outlive Us.

The Overview is available on a variety of formats, including CD / LP (including coloured vinyl) / Blu-ray / limited edition boxset and digital platforms.

Objects Outlive Us

The Overview is unique for a modern album, in that there are just two tracks, but each track has distinct parts that make up the whole. These individual parts flow together well, but are all very different pieces, musically and lyrically, with just the occasional revisiting and recycling of musical themes.

To contrast against a recent instance when SW has done something similar, with Tim Bowness on no-man’s Love You To Bits album, on Love You To Bits the music evolves and mutates from the same basic musical template, with only a few instances of separate standalone melodies. The Overview, though it is linked by a central theme, is mostly made up of very distinct parts with less crossover, so it feels more like a complete musical suite, with plenty of twists, turns and surprises for the listener.

Did You Forget I Exist?

The first section, No Monkey’s Paw, from Objects Outlive Us opens with disembodied vocals from SW giving a feeling of floating in space, as instruments and extra harmonies arrive on the scene. The music is beat-less at this point, driven by strings and synth pulses. A very direct, raw and emotional beginning.

A repeated piano riff and cymbals usher in the next part of the track as the tension builds, but there is still a lot of space in the arrangement. The next part, which is a much fuller and more traditional Wilson rock / pop arrangement, places the vocals very much front and centre. Its difficult to tell with just two digital files provided for review, but I think this is Objects: Meanwhile, which has lyrics by XTC’s Andy Partridge.

This section is one of my personal highlights. I love the myriad of guitar and synth lines intertwining and soaring, with a feeling of sweetly psychedelic pop. This is the only instance on the album where I could see a section existing outside of the album as a standalone “single” track, whereas the rest of the pieces feel like they are very much connected as part of the overall body of work.

I often quote strong lyrical lines in my reviews, and there are some very interesting and emotional lyrics on the album, but I won’t spoil the surprise for you, as so little has been revealed in advance.

Just before the 8 minutes mark of Objects Outlive Us the mood turns on a dime to a post-rock, distorted bass and screeching guitar workout that signals chaos and disorder, as the heaviest point on the album crashes back down to earth with a return of the previous sections lyrics and music.

The song suite continues with a guitar and piano driven vocal piece, with the vocals pushed back ever so slightly in the mix. I think this will sound stunning in surround sound, as Craig Blundell’s drums propel this song into the stratosphere, with the guitar treatment giving me Insurgentes vibes.

Frenetic, multi-layered guitars then propel us down into a spacey, almost Porcupine Tree echoing instrumental section, before opening a door back into the opening mood of the next instalment, that reveals itself as No Ghost On The Moor.

Wilson’s vocals are beautiful, languid but also emotionally hitting so deep. Whilst the music touches on the feel of early Porcupine Tree (the delay on the snare ♥), Wilson’s vocals are definitely of the now. A slow paced but absolutely heart-melting distorted guitar solo drives us home (see what I did there!) as Objects Outlive Us takes its leave.

Steven Wilson "The Overview" vinyl

The Overview

The second suite is the slightly shorter The Overview, commencing with a glitchy electronic piece, featuring Rotem Wilson listing aspects of the endless expanse of the universe. A delicious string motif signals a change is on it’s way, as a familiar refrain dials back into a more acoustic arrangement and introduces SW on vocals for A Beautiful Infinity I and II.

The pieces utilise a tried and trusted SW vocal delay effect, alongside a Solina synth line topped by Rhodes piano leading to some simply wonderful clear guitar solo lines and riffs. The trippy end section on the first Beautiful Infinity piece works so well, with rich harmonies weaved throughout the song. The second piece takes the section to new heights, with propulsive drums and further electrifying solos. The section is then reborn as the final part of the Infinity trilogy, with delightfully percussive electric and acoustic guitar and synths.

The mix of electronics and rock based performances make this such an exciting part of the album. If you are lucky enough to capture one of the forthcoming live shows, The Overview is likely to blow your mind.

Steven Wilson "The Overview" vinyl

The vocal-less Permanence takes up the final 3 minutes 30 seconds of The Overview track. The tempo drops to the floor as suspended synth and Rhodes lines deliver a late-night feeling that symbolises the wide expanse of space, along with a palpable mood of calm and relaxation following the quite frenetic feel of the earlier sections.

At this point, I think that it is worth pointing out that my review experience is not the best way to hear The Overview, as some parts are missing. Firstly, when the physical package arrives (and this album is built to be experienced in the physical format, streaming will not be a complete experience), studying the lyrics will be a required part of the first few plays. Some tracks have the vocals sitting slightly back in the mix, so studying the lyrics will help with comprehension, and will be part of appreciating the album as a complete musical experience.

I also think that the artwork will build a sense of the meaning behind the individual parts of the two tracks. And finally, whilst the stereo mix is, as always, excellent, I am expecting the album to offer a truly immersive experience in surround sound, in both 5.1 and Dolby Atmos versions. I am personally desperate to experience the album on my (admittedly quite light) 5.1.2 speaker Dolby Atmos setup. Lights off, volume up.

The press release talks of The Overview being a “return to expansive, progressive music” and I agree, but this is not the love letter to traditional progressive rock that SW displayed on his third solo album The Raven That Refused to Sing, so don’t expect that.

It is progressive in the true sense of the word, as music that expands on the boundaries of traditional genres. It is also progressive in the way that Mike Oldfield’s 1979 masterpiece Platinum tied together different genres, tempos and separate pieces that define the whole.

My comparison is not a musical one with my favourite Oldfield album, but I think they both share a bravery in the way the artists have chosen to move in and out of themes and styles to make an album that is built to be consumed in one sitting, whilst keeping your attention for the whole length of the album. It is such a fascinating, satisfying musical journey.

Wilson’s Universe

One of the personal takes I get from The Overview is how the album has one clear inspiration and influence, and that’s Wilson’s music and all that has gone before in his own career, rather than influences sparked by other artists. There are fleeting nods to his own back catalogue throughout the album, from solo releases as well as Porcupine Tree and collaborations.

I noticed subtle musical tips of the hat towards The Sky Moves Sideways as well as Hand. Cannot. Erase. I did not find myself thinking that any track or its sounds might be inspired by other artists, and so for me this album exists in its own musical universe, giving it a unique place in Wilson’s vast catalogue.

I am excited to hear fans opinions of The Overview from release day onwards, as unlike previous recent albums, so little of the music has been teased in advance. Listeners will get to experience the album on their first listen in the way it is meant to be heard, in one complete sitting, fresh and unknown.

I hope you love the album as much as I do, and please feel free to leave comments on my review.

Buckle up and enjoy the trip!

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Tracklisting

OBJECTS OUTLIVE US (23.17)
No Monkey’s Paw
The Buddha Of The Modern Age
Objects: Meanwhile (lyrics by Andy Partridge)
The Cicerones
Ark
Cosmic Sons Of Toil
No Ghost On The Moor
Heat Death Of The Universe

THE OVERVIEW (18.27)
Perspective
A Beautiful Infinity I
Borrowed Atoms
A Beautiful Infinity II
Infinity Measured In Moments
Permanence

Visit Steven Wilson’s website for news and tour dates.


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Airbag – The Century of the Self Album: Prog Band’s New Release

4 06 2024

The Century of the Self is the long awaited new album from Norway’s best-selling prog band, Airbag, and is released by Karisma Records on 14 June 2024.

Airbag - The Century of the Self

Airbag kick off their sixth studio album with Dysphoria, with widely panned guitar and sweeping synth waves. A slow-paced piece, containing lyrics touching on the world we find ourselves in, with conspiracies, trolling and a culture of cancellation.

The instrumentation builds as the song progresses. A specific feature I have noticed on this Airtbag album is the prominence of the bass, from Kristian Hultgren and Bjørn Riis. It adds real power to the songs, and underpins the anthemic guitar lines from Riis.

Airbag - photo by Anne-Marie_Forker

Tyrants and Kings ups the tempo, and adds acoustic guitars to the mix for the first time. A mature arrangement, with simplicity and space, enabling keyboard or guitar lines to cut through with clarity. Henrik Bergan Fossum adds an at times post-punk chill to his drum patterns on this track. This is Airbag at its most refined.

Awakening strips the arrangement back to delay-treated vocals and acoustic guitar, and then the bass, drums and synths kick in like a deep punch to the gut. A slight U2 lyrical reference feels appropriate, with a song that is close to a slow-burning classic rock template, topped off with some Airbag sparkles.

The middle section of Awakening gives the musicians the chance to stretch out and shine. As always with Airbag, the performances are sympathetic and never show-boating.

Erase is a bass-driven groove, that begs to be played at volume. Psychedelic, heavily processed guitar and wild drums propel the albums heaviest track towards the 14 minute closer, Tear It Down.

Tear It Down introduces itself with a shuffling drum beat, softly twinkling Rhodes piano, and sustained guitar, leading to the angry and frustrated chorus of “Tear it down, tear it all.”

A delicious Rhodes riff then takes over at around the 7 minute / half-way mark, signalling the next section in the ever-evolving Tear It Down. Deep bass and soaring guitar lines from Kristian Hultgren and Ole Michael Bjørndal, do battle with spacey synth from guest Simen Valldal Johannessen. Fans of early Porcupine Tree are going to love this epic song. A great way to end the album, Tear It Down is the track I often find myself returning to again and again.

Airbag - photo by Anne-Marie_Forker

The Century of the Self feels like the most complete Airbag album to date, with the band spending so much time on the arrangements. It would be easy to just keep piling in with the heavy moments, but there is a real taste of light and shade on display here. Tear it down, tear it all.

Airbag are:
Asle Tostrup – vocals, keyboards and programming
Henrik Bergan Fossum – drums
Bjørn Riis – guitars, bass, keyboards and backing vocals

Featuring: Kristian Hultgren – bass on Dysphoria & Tear it Down
Ole Michael Bjørndal – guitar on Dysphoria, Tyrants and Kings & Tear it Down
Simen Valldal Johannessen – keyboards on Tear it Down

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Tracklist:
Dysphoria (10:39)
Tyrants and Kings (6:48)
Awakening (6:42)
Erase (7:53)
Tear It Down (14:59)


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Fish On Friday – 8mm album review

22 10 2023

8mm is the sixth album from Fish On Friday, and is released on CD via Cherry Red on 27 October 2023.

8mm is the bands first studio album since Black Rain (2020). The band line-up on 8mm is Nick Beggs (bass and vocals), Frank van Bogaert (keyboards & vocals), Marty Townsend (guitars) and Marcus Weymaere (drums).

Nick Beggs co-produced 8mm with Frank Van Bogaert.

Fish On Friday - 8MM album cover

8mm opens with the title track, a slow paced song with trademark Fish On Friday harmonies. A tale of regret and introspection, driven by a highly emotional arrangement, the synth lines catch you off guard as the pace increases towards the end of the song. The sound of a whirring projector ends the track, to put the listener in the mood of watching an old 8mm cine-film, a recurring motif used throughout the album.

Collateral Damage is a beautiful song. The wide-screen mix, with sparse drums, warm guitars and spikey bass from Beggs, leaves plenty of space for the chorus to hit deep.

Overture to Flame leading in to Flame ups the tempo from the earlier tracks. A rare Fish On Friday cover-version, from the pre-punk band Metro, whose Criminal World was covered by David Bowie on his Let’s Dance album in 1983.

The Chris Squire referencing bassline shakes the speakers, with some almost Welcome To The Pleasuredome intro guitar-lines. Flame is a perfect choice to highlight the progressive / pastoral elements of the band.

Great production touches, such as a subtle trailing reverb on the end of vocal lines, gives the song a feel of the mid to late 70s, which of course is the era that delivered the original song to the world. The guitar lines are delicious and Flame is a track that quickly became one of my early favourites from 8mm.

The intro to Jump This Wall is an intoxicating mix of I Feel Love / Giorgio Moroder meets Pink Floyd. Unlikely bedfellows I know, but it works so well. With Nick Beggs on lead vocals, and references to lockdown and escaping, this is a song that could only have been written during the recent troubled times we have all lived through. Hopefully we are now over that wall.

Don’t Lose Your Spirit showcases the breadth of styles on the album. Classic Rock flavours give this song a unique charm, with all individual band members leaving their mark on the long instrumental section before the vocals kick in.

Funerals lifts the spirits, despite the subject matter, a tale of our changing social habits, with us rarely meeting people at christenings or weddings anymore, as funerals become a more regular part of our social gatherings. Sad but true.

Silently Raging is one of the albums strongest tracks, with quality production touches to the fore. The lyrics touch on our surveillance heavy, highly monitored society, and I love how the rhythm subtly moves up a gear as each verse passes by. The swirling synth lines are underpinned by addictive backing vocals on this perfect pop song.

Fish On Friday band - greyscale picture of five band members.
Taken from the Fish On Friday website – photographer unknown.

Instillers is a mix of the synthetic and the acoustic. An iconic Roland CR-78 drum machine underpins the early section, before the whole band arrives. Heart-melting strings, and a warm and powerful bassline from Nick Beggs underscore this album highlight.

I’m always a sucker for Theme From Shaft influenced wah-wah guitar, an effect that makes a brief appearance on Instillers. One of the more progressive pieces on the album, no section of the song overstays its welcome, and repeat listens reveal new a myriad of new charms.

A New Home is a fine ballad, with great bass and guitar interplay, and the album ends on Life is Like the Weather, where wistful harmonies and joint vocals from Beggs and Bogaert offer an emotional conclusion to the album.

The richness of the production, tied in with the storytelling aspects of the lyrics throughout 8mm, reminds me of much missed 70s icons 10cc.

I love how an album that is peppered full of nostalgia, uses triggers such as vintage drum machines and accordions to tug at your heart-strings. These well-placed, and often brief, appearances do not overshadow the well-crafted and passionately performed songs that deliver what many will see as the finest Fish On Friday release to date.

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Tracklist

8mm
Collateral Damage
Overture to Flame
Flame
Jump This Wall
Don’t Lose Your Spirit
Funerals
Silently Raging
Instillers
A New Home
Life is Like the Weather


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Solstein – Solstein album review

23 05 2023

Solstein is a project that melds the groovier side of fusion with elements of prog and funk. The band features drummer Keith Carlock (Steely Dan, Toto, John Legend, Sting) and multi-instrumentalist Jacob Holm-Lupo (White Willow, The Opium Cartel, Donner) as well as up-and-coming guitarist Stian Larsen and keyboardists Brynjar Dambo (White Willow) and Bill Bressler.

Solstein album cover (picture of a volcano with lava pouring into the sea).

The album was mixed and given pristine analog mastering at Holm-Lupo’s Dude Ranch Studio.

The Solstein album demands your full attention, and is an instrumental album that does not work as background music. Opener Intersection features an addictive bassline from Holm-Lupo and the sort of attention to detail, mood enhancing synth and electric piano work that paints the canvas on the many wonderful White Willow / The Opium Cartel releases. A top flight drum performance from Keith Carlock and wildly experimental guitar lines from Oslo based Stian Larsen set the scene for the songs that follow.

American jazz saxophonist Wayne Shorter’s Oriental Folk Song throws down some grooves and performances that will get the Steely Dan fans heads bobbing. Strong solo synth lines from Bill Bressler bring this song, born in the 60s, into the here and now. I can’t wait to hear this album on vinyl, the music is made for that medium, and will highlight one of Holm-Lupo’s finest mixes to date.

Southwester is the only track on the album to not feature Stian Larsen, so the synths take centre stage. It is also the albums longest track, so there is plenty of time for the musicians to stretch their wings.

Brynjar Dambo joins Jacob with a variety of string and solo synth lines feeding off the melody, that rides along with Carlock’s laid-back groove. Mr White Willow is of course no slouch on six-strings, so this is not a guitar-free zone by any means, but the keyboards lead the charge.

The Night Owl is not a Gerry Rafferty cover, before you start googling! Its one of two tracks not featuring live drums, and like February 9th that crops up a couple of songs later, it features a stripped back line-up of Stian Larsen and Jacob Holm-Lupo. The space and the occasionally desolate arrangement adds a unique dimension to The Night Owl, which quickly became my favourite piece on the album. The simplicity and direct emotion pours out of the speakers.

Siriusly is the only track to feature live vocals, with wordless backing vox supplied by Ina Aurelia, mixed in with synth lines. A short, warm reggae section drops surprisingly in the middle of the song, before giving way to more inventive guitar and synth interplay. There is real value for money in this track – with a jazz-funk section, then moving to a fusion section after taking a reggae detour. Its some journey, with the main melody staying with you long after the song ends.

February 9th cuts the arrangement back to the bare minimum, with Larsen’s mournful, echoing guitar lines atop Holm-Lupo’s deep electric piano and atmospherics.

The Creeper gives off strong Herbie Hancock vibes, with Stian Larsen’s jazz chops in full, majestic flow. This song has a post-midnight, inner-city feel that sends chills when heard loud and through headphones. Featuring classy Rhodes from Holm-Lupo, the album heads to its climax as The Creeper ushers in Hamada, with rhythmic guitars and bell-tree percussion, and one of the most progressive performances on the album.

Hamada is a fitting end to a wonderful album, that reveals surprising new layers after each play, which is always a sign of longevity in music.

Buy the Solstein album from Jacob Holm-Lupo’s online store

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Buy the Solstein album on vinyl from Amazon UK
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Solstein album cover

Tracklist
Intersection (Holm-Lupo/Larsen/Carlock)
Oriental Folk Song (Wayne Shorter)
Southwester (Holm-Lupo/Carlock/Dambo)
The Night Owl (Holm-Lupo/Larsen)
Siriusly (Holm-Lupo/Larsen/Carlock/Dambo)
February 9th (Holm-Lupo/Larsen)
The Creeper (Holm-Lupo/Larsen/Carlock)
Hamada (Holm-Lupo/Larsen/Carlock/Bressler)


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The Alan Parsons Project – The Turn Of A Friendly Card (Deluxe box-set) review

17 02 2023

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Cherry Red have released a deluxe limited edition box-set of The Turn Of A Friendly Card, the fifth album by The Alan Parsons Project, the brainchild of composer, musician and co-creator Eric Woolfson and celebrated producer and engineer Alan Parsons.

The Alan Parsons Project - The Turn Of A Friendly Card

The album sessions featured contributions from musicians such as Ian Bairnson (guitars), David Paton (bass), Stuart Elliott (drums) with Eric Woolfson playing keyboards and providing lead vocals, along with Elmer Gantry, Chris Rainbow and Lenny Zakatek.

This 2023 3CD / Blu-Ray (region free) limited edition box-set includes an additional 42 tracks drawn from Eric Woolfson’s song-writing diaries, studio session out-takes and a new 5.1 surround sound mix by Alan Parsons and a high resolution remastered original stereo mix, along with the promotional videos of Games People Play, The Gold Bug and The Turn Of A Friendly Card plus a promotional television advertisement. This stunning set also features a lavish illustrated book with a new essay with photos, memorabilia, letters along with personal recollections from Alan Parsons and Sally Woolfson, along with a reproduction poster.

As with previous Alan Parsons Project albums, an array of vocalists was again utilised. Lenny Zakatek had first appeared on I Robot. Future Camel singer Chris Rainbow had made his Alan Parsons Project debut on Pyramid. While for Elmer Gantry, it was his first shot at singing with the Project (he would later go on to feature on 1982’s Eye In The Sky). The Turn Of A Friendly Card also features the very first Eric Woolfson vocal performances for The Alan Parsons Project. Woolfson features on the Nothing Left To Lose section of the album’s title track suite, and also on Time.

The Turn Of A Friendly Card artwork and CDs

There is not a massive upgrade to the sound of the CD’s, which sounded amazing anyway, but this version is the definitive take on the album, and it is the best sounding version of The Turn Of A Friendly Card, so worth replacing your original CD. Spread your love of the music by buying this version and gift your original CD to a friend! Please note that the blu-ray was not provided for this review, so I cannot comment on the content on the final disc prior to release.

The original album sits on the first of the four discs, and its a top quality album that has stood the test of time. Games People Play (with a vocal from Lenny Zakatek) was a top 20 Billboard hit in the USA. The Eric Woolfson sung Time was another US Top 20 hit, with it’s sweeping, luscious strings and Beach Boys referencing vocal melody driving one of the key tracks on the first section of the album.

I Don’t Wanna Go Home is a perfect representation of the late 70s Alan Parsons Project sound, with layers of sharp, rhythmic guitars and crisply produced percussion.

From the old vinyl side two section onwards, the music offers an updating of the Project sound, with the earliest hints of an 80s sensibility creeping into the arrangement and orchestrations. The Gold Bug and The Turn of a Friendly Card suite pushes the album firmly into classic album territory.

Eric Woolfson and Alan Parsons.

From track 11 on the first disc, we get the first batch of extra tracks. Nothing Left to Lose [Chris Rainbow Overdub Vocal Compilation] is a fascinating insight into the multi-layered vocals, here in their glorious, isolated form. As is Games People Play [Rough Mix], which captures the energy in this early, unpolished diamond of an arrangement.

Disc two presents Eric’s Songwriting Diary, and is the disc I return to the least in this collection, but it is a unique way of “being in the room” as the songs were created. The tracks are sourced from Eric’s portable cassette recorder, and is made up of piano and vocal sketches of the ideas that led to the full songs. So lots of hiss and “la la la’s”, but a rare and very personal insight into the creative process, that is rarely heard for classic albums.

Disc three picks up the quality, with alt takes and single mixes. May Be a Price to Pay (Early version with Eric Guide Vocal and Unused Guitar solo) works well, and offers a different flavour to the albums opening track. Most of these tracks have Eric’s guide vocals left quite low in the mix. Its a shame they are buried so deep, as they offer a fascinating insight into the development of the album.

Games People Play (Early version – Eric’s Guide Vocal) shows how well developed the song was from the early sessions, and highlights how much of the vocal arrangement was followed from Eric Woolfson’s early guide vocals. There is plenty of cowbell in this early take, always a welcome bonus!

The Gold Bug (Chris Rainbow backing vocals) is another unique insight into the multi-layered vocals from this key album track. The Turn of a Friendly Card (Part Two) (Eric’s Guide Vocal and Extended Guitar Solo) is the pick of the alt-versions, and rounds of the sessions before the CD ends with three concise single mixes – of Games People Play, The Turn Of A Friendly Card and Snake Eyes.

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Buy the single disc vinyl version (from 2013) from Amazon

TRACKLISTING

DISC ONE
The Turn Of A Friendly Card

May Be A Price To Pay
Games People Play
Time
I Don’t Wanna Go Home
The Gold Bug
The Turn Of A Friendly Card (Part One)
Snake Eyes
The Ace Of Swords
Nothing Left To Lose
The Turn Of A Friendly Card (Part Two)

Bonus Tracks

May Be A Price To Pay (Intro Demo)
Nothing Left To Lose (Basic Backing Track)
Nothing Left To Lose (Chris Rainbow Overdub Vocal Compilation)
Nothing Left to Lose [Early Studio Version with Eric’s Guide Vocal]
Time (Early Studio Attempt)
Games People Play (Rough Mix)
The Gold Bug (Demo)

DISC TWO
Eric Woolfson’s Songwriting Diaries

May Be A Price To Pay
Games People Play
Time
I Don’t Wanna Go Home
The Turn Of A Friendly Card
Snake Eyes
Nothing Left To Lose
Tofc / Snake Eyes / I Don’t Wanna Go Home
La La La Lah
Next Year
Someone Else
Taking It All Away
To Those Of You Out There

DISC THREE
Recording Sessions Bonus Tracks

May Be A Price To Pay (Early Version – Eric Guide Vocal And Unused Guitar Solo)
Games People Play (Early Version – Eric Guide Vocal)
Time (Orchestra And Chris Rainbow Backing Vocals)
The Gold Bug (Early Reference Version)
The Gold Bug (Chris Rainbow Backing Vocals)
The Gold Bug (Clavinet With No Delay)
The Turn Of A Friendly Card – Part One (Early Backing Track)
Snake Eyes (Early Version – Eric Guide Vocal)
The Ace Of Swords (Early Version With Synth Orchestration)
The Ace of Swords (Early Version with Piano on Melody)
The Turn Of A Friendly Card – Part Two (Eric Guide Vocal And Extended Guitar Solo)
Games People Play (Single Edit)
The Turn Of A Friendly Card (Single Edit)
Snake Eyes (single edit)

DISC FOUR – BLU RAY
5.1 Surround Sound Mix (2019) And High- Resolution Original Stereo Mix By Alan Parsons

May Be A Price To Pay
Games People Play
Time
I Don’t Wanna Go Home
The Gold Bug
The Turn Of A Friendly Card (Part One)
Snake Eyes
The Ace Of Swords
Nothing Left To Lose
The Turn Of A Friendly Card (Part Two)

Visual Content
The Turn Of A Friendly Card (Album Ad)
Games People Play (Promotional Video)
The Gold Bug (Promotional Video)
The Turn Of A Friendly Card (Promotional Video)

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Buy the single disc vinyl version (from 2013) from Amazon


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Sweet Billy Pilgrim – Somapolis track-by-track album review

9 10 2022

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Sweet Billy Pilgrim, now a duo comprising multi-instrumentalists Jana Carpenter and Tim Elsenburg, will release a new album, Somapolis on November 4 2022 via Republic of Music. Their story involves a Mercury Music Prize nomination, the IT Crowd, the Royal Albert Hall, Glastonbury Festival, Late Junction and The Culture Show.

Sweet Billy Pilgrim - Somapolis album cover

Guests on the album include Kate St. John (Dream Academy) with string / horn arrangements and Darren Beckett (Brandon Flowers / Madeleine Peyroux / Bryan Ferry) on drums.

Somapolis opener We Are The Bright Carvers is a real statement of intent. Featuring the deepest bass I have heard for many a year, anchoring a hyper addictive song with powerful drums and a hard-hitting, emotional arrangement. The use of space is highly evident on Somapolis, with real and synthesised strings flitting in and out, alongside scratchy, mournful new wave guitars and delightful tag-team vocals from Jana and Tim.

Jana and Tim’s vocals blend so well together, adding a unique colour and personality to the songs. The production is perfect, adding a warmth and clarity to individual instruments and featuring short sound-designs linking each track, to give the feel of one whole, linked piece. Cities are linked by their transportation systems, which is maybe why all the tracks on this album are linked, often with transport or people interaction found-sounds.

Bliss Maps is initially a rich slice of electronica, evolving as acoustic instruments, including spaghetti western guitar lines, are thrown into the mix. The beautiful vocal arrangement, as Jana and Tim are joined by a collection of other voices, works so well with the trumpet, saxophone and funk bass taking the song home.

“Did I put something in your Chardonnay?
Close your eyes…”

Attacus Atlas continues with the squelchy, Bootsy Collins bass and mellotrons that adorn many of the tracks, in a song referencing the worlds largest moth, whose brief and beautiful emergence lasts for just days before it dies. The chorus seeps into your soul, as Jana takes the lead on one of the albums key songs.

Instrumental lines appear and disappear when you least expect them, keeping you on your toes, and revealing new wonders on repeated listens.

“It’s the light that leads me home”

Attacus Atlas is a story of brief, breathless and fragrant love that undergoes a complete metamorphosis as Pass Muster, with its jittering rhythm (definitely not a dancer!) appears, layered with a honey-sweet vocal topping that transports the track into gospel directions that seemed impossible to imagine from the songs beginning.

The piano waltz of Down I Go (heralded by a tube-station sound-sketch, very clever) is simple but effective, with some of the albums strongest lyrics. When the synth sequence and percussion kicks in, the song hits you hard in your heart. The simplicity and directness of Down I Go‘s arrangement makes this song all the more powerful, following the previous songs rich and often complex arrangements.

“There is a river runs under the city at night, and down I go out of the light”

The arrangement builds for the songs final descent, and then washes away leaving just Tim’s solo vocal and piano. Down I Go quickly established itself as one of my favourite Sweet Billy Pilgrim songs.

Dead Man Dancing is an anthemic beast, featuring a mixture of 70s and 80s referencing synth sounds, with a hint of late 70s Bowie in the chorus. Stress Position returns to the dual vocals and a more widescreen arrangement, and could well be a tale of crime, but going on past Sweet Billy Pilgrim lyrics, the true meaning is probably hidden somewhere below the surface and is always open to the listeners interpretation.

Jana Carpenter and Tim Elsenburg, of Sweet Billy Pilgrim.
Jana Carpenter and Tim Elsenburg

The processed music-box intro of The Night Watch quickly switches to a pure Steely Dan groove. The thoughts I had on first hearing The Night Watch included how on earth did the band afford to hire Donald Fagen to produce the song? It sounds so well-produced that I fully expect to see his name on the album credits. The attention to detail lovingly painted onto every detail of this song, from the shuffling drum pattern to the multiple layered vocal, make this an album highlight that I think will resonate with so many people.

A sweetly nostalgic 1960’s back-beat and organ swells underpin Pilgrim, which like Down I Go, has a feel of simplicity that makes the magical choral sections and more expansive moments all the more powerful. With no synths in sight, Pilgrim feels like a song from a bygone, long-lost era. Along with Big Big Train, Sweet Billy Pilgrim are not afraid to head back to the past and utilise more traditional tools such as brass bands, to convey emotion and help splash colour onto their wide musical canvas. The subtle production touches lift the arrangement, making Pilgrim a song that sticks with you long after the last reverb-drenched vocals fade.

Get Back To Where You Started drops you back into the here and now. After the two lighter songs that preceded it, the mood is buoyed with such a joyous chorus. The band throw everything at the production on this song, nothing is held back. Trumpet solos, big beats and deep Rhodes piano all make a welcome appearance, along with that funky as hell bass sound that is a star of the album. In an alternative universe, when the spirit of the 80s is still strong, this song would be the big hit single.

The album closes with its longest song, Skywriting. Another initially uplifting track, using a similar musical palette to songs earlier in the album, the discordant piano adds a slight feeling of apprehension that feeds into the dual mood that the song delivers. An almost classic rock driven instrumental section is simply delicious, and the synths, strings and deep electronics that see out the last minute or so hint at an ascension as the final part of the journey, with the album having lots of references to travel within the city, whether purely physical movement or through the individual journey’s that make up our lives.

There is so much love, care and a vast array of different styles shared throughout Somapolis, which appears to be the story of a city and tales of how the people who live within interact, travel and are affected by their surroundings. Somapolis is adventurous, rich, uplifting and meditative in equal measures, making it the most fully realised and satisfying release so far from the band.

Enjoy the journey.

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Buy Somapolis from the Sweet Billy Pilgrim artist store

We Are The Bright Carvers
Bliss Maps
Attacus Atlas
Pass Muster
Down I Go
Dead Man Dancing
Stress Position
The Night Watch
Pilgrim
Get Back To Where You Started
Skywriting


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Bjørn Riis – A Fleeting Glimpse album review

19 09 2022

A Fleeting Glimpse is a mini-album from by Airbag co-founder, songwriter and lead guitarist, Bjorn Riis. With A Fleeting Glimpse, Bjørn Riis has let his love of Pink Floyd run free. The album contains four new songs, with a running time of just under 30 minutes, where you can really hear the Floyd influences soaked into the short album’s DNA.

Bjørn Riis - A Fleeting Glimpse album cover.

Dark Shadows (part 1) features guest vocals from Durga McBroom, who sang with Pink Floyd from the late 80s onwards. A gentle paced piece, with some uplifting David Gilmour inspired slide and lead guitar performances, the first take of Dark Shadows perfectly combines the key Floyd sounds of the 70s and 80s.

A Voyage to the Sun touches on the darker, more progressive side of the album’s inspiration. The tempo quickens for this instrumental track, my favourite song on the album. The guitars cut deeper and the percussion pushes the arrangement, with a wonderful mid-section where the instruments rapidly drop away to leave guitar feedback and bass, undercut by a mournful synth line. I love these spacey, progressive vibes that are just made for a headphone listening experience.

Just as you are soaring above the clouds, the High Hopes referencing church bells of Summer Meadows bring you crashing back down to earth. The acoustic and electric guitar intro is so beautifully pristine on this second and final instrumental. I kept expecting some spoken voice on this track, see if you agree with me when you hear the album, if it possibly evokes the same memories for you.

Bjørn Riis looking at the camera

Summer Meadows is over far too soon, and Dark Shadows (part 2) continues to build, with some emotional guitar, both lead and layered background textures, from Riis. Whilst there are four tracks, each offering slightly different emotional responses and moods, the album feels like a complete piece of music, built to be listened to in one sitting, in the order the artist has chosen.

The powerful mix for A Fleeting Glimpse by Vegard Kleftås Sleipnes and the warm mastering by White Willow / The Opium Cartel’s master-mind Jacob Holm-Lupo, lifts this album to the front of my favourite Bjørn Riis solo releases to date. I would love to hear a full length album in this style in the future. With little chance of new music from David Gilmour in this style, it would be great to have new music continuing the 70s and 80s Pink Floyd tradition.

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Buy Bjørn Riis – A Fleeting Glimpse on vinyl from Amazon
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Buy Bjørn Riis – A Fleeting Glimpse on vinyl from Burning Shed
Buy Bjørn Riis – A Fleeting Glimpse on CD from Burning Shed

Tracklist

Dark Shadows (part 1)
A Voyage to the Sun
Summer Meadows
Dark Shadows (part 2)

Label: Karisma Records
Release Date: 30 September 2022


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