'Darrel Treece-Birch' is known for being the keyboardist of the melodic hard rock band 'Ten' but, what we know a little less is that, at the same time, he pursued a solo career in a progressive register (his last album 'The First Step…It To Take One' dating of 2018) and that he also participated in the project 'Nth Ascension' which he left in 2021. I discovered him in 2016 with 'No More Time' which was his second solo album and which, at the time, made a very good impression on me . His new project is called 'Atlantea' and this first album 'Choices' which was released at the beginning of October sees the participation of many guests, including several singers, which was not the case for his solo albums which are mostly made up of instrumental titles.
'Choices' features thirteen compositions for just over an hour of listening time and 'Darrel Treece-Birch' describes it this way: " As a song writer, I have decided upon a musical project which allows me to write in a very free way, across many styles, and is complemented by wonderful musician friends to guest on instruments and lead vocal duties. ". And, indeed, the album is very varied, and we navigate between different progressive styles between rock and hard rock, alternating different atmospheres ranging from beautiful ballads to much more energetic tracks. After the short 'Floydian' atmospheric introduction, 'Questions' sets the scene with epic progressive which takes us back a few decades and unfolds a first catchy melody on a slow tempo with very beautiful vocal arrangements, then, 'The Watchers' continues in this melodic and rhythmic rock for a more direct title. Make way for the very beautiful ballad, 'All I Need' which highlights 'Kayleigh Treece-Birch' on vocals and offers keyboard accompaniment with vintage tones of the 70s, then 'What Price Is Life' (see the video above) continues in this quiet atmosphere with a new ballad which, this time, is sung by 'Eoin de Paor' on a melody which is immediately grafted into the head. What follows continues in this alternation of styles and 'One and the Same' returns to hard rock à la 'Uriah Heep' and we will find this strong style in 'You Decide (Dumdedum)' but the second part of the album brings together mainly calmer compositions starting with the magnificent ballad 'If We Could' (see the video here) magnified by the Greek singer 'Eva Sakellari', then 'Changes' also shows a very peaceful face with 'Tony Mitchell' au singing on melodic lines reminding me on a few bars of 'You've Got To Hide Your Love Away' from the 'Beatles'. The last four titles are as many melodic jewels with 'The Promise' sung by the Dutchwoman 'Maaike Siegerist' and which offers very beautiful instrumental passages, bringing a good dose of progressive, then, the following ballad 'Secret Place' is sung by 'David Reed-Watson' who is in a much more register calm than that of his group 'Alchemy Fire'. Still in a quiet atmosphere, we find 'Tony Mitchell' in 'Rise Above' (see the video here) with keyboard accompaniment making me think of the sounds of 'Barclay James-Harvest' with 'If Love Is King' datinf from 1990, then, 'Time For Choice' concludes this album in a very beautiful way with 'Eoin de Paor' which lulls us on a final ballad with a melody which delicately insinuates itself into the depths of your mind and which offers a very beautiful guitar solo by 'Alexandre Santos'.
In summary, we were already accustomed to the very good solo albums of 'Darrel Treece-Birch' which are largely instrumental and 'Choices' shows that the British is also an outstanding author/composer and that he knows how to 'surround yourself with talented artists to perform your compositions with catchy melodies... | |
