I presented to you the new project of the founder of 'Silhouette' in 2020 with his first album 'Mantelpeace', and 2022 sees the release of a new studio recording with 'Fairly Carefree' which 'Brian de Greave' describes as follows: "this album will feature new melodic and progressive rock anthems with guitar solos worthy of 'Pink Floyd', dreamy keyboard textures and darker songwriting". Always accompanied by his wife on vocals, the line-up has evolved somewhat with 'Mark op ten Berg' taking the main place of bass player and 'Jos Uffing' of drummer, guest artists being added to the basic formation.
Overall, 'Fairly Carefree' is a continuation of the first album, that is to say that we find these refined and inventive progressive atmospheres which bring us back to the best of this style, the vocal duo from the couple to the life of 'Greave' bringing this very endearing little extra, especially since I find that Marjolein has made further progress in her singing, repeatedly transmitting beautiful emotions to us. Nearing the hour of listening, eight more or less long compositions await you and, at the start, we are greeted by the long development 'I Could Never Learn' which begins by making us wander in a 'Floydian' landscape thanks to a few notes of 'Gilmourian' guitars, then, a soft melody takes over, with the soft singing of 'Brian de Graeve', then joined by his companion, and lulls us to a slow tempo, punctuated by beautiful guitar interventions by 'Rindeert Bul', the finale accelerating the rhythm with luminous keyboards that fill the whole space: we are already under the spell! We continue with 'Crackled Colorite' in the same peaceful atmosphere, the soft singing of 'Marjolein de Graeve' bringing this melancholic touch, then, there are two shorter and more direct titles with 'Your Lies' and 'Pretending', the first leading in a light atmosphere and the second most calm with a delicate song of 'Marjolein de Graeve' which can recall that high perched of 'Annie Haslam' of the formation 'Renaissance'. With 'Out in the Cold', although the introduction appears more removed, the lightness is still appropriate with a semi-acoustic composition which unrolls endearing melodic lines and which has a very beautiful break in the second part, the finale adding beautiful vocal harmonies. Led by a few birdsongs, 'Sheltered Dreams' is a ballad in which the vocal harmonies are beautiful and the melody reminds me of certain compositions from the beginnings of 'Barclay James Harvest', the keyboard interventions bringing a bucolic side. Make way for the centerpiece of the album, 'Trilemma', which alone is worth the purchase of this album, and which is a long development of more than 15 minutes in which we travel through captivating soundscapes with alternations between sections sung by 'Marjolein de Graeve' releasing an intense emotion, and instrumental parts highlighting 'Floydian' guitar solos, passages on atmospheric keyboards or even acoustic strolls of flutes or guitar. And like all good things must come to an end, 'Malgré les Vagues' concludes this magnificent album in a very beautiful way with a harmonious ballad of which you can see the video above, the finale rewarding us with a last marvellous guitar solo.
In summary, the Dutch of 'Realisea' confirm all the good that we thought of them with their first album and 'Fairly Carefree' should appeal to an audience that loves a peaceful and refined progressive rock with melodic lines harmonious... | |
