'The Bardic Depths' is a progressive rock project that was created by songwriter, keyboardist and guitarist 'Dave Bandana' with an band's self-titled debut album in 2020. The rest of the line-up consists of vocalist and keyboardist 'Peter Jones' ('Tiger Moth Tales', 'Camel'), guitarist 'Gareth Cole' ('Paul Menel', 'Fractal Mirror') and drummer 'Tim Gehrt' ('The Streets', 'Steve Walsh') but this basic formation is accompanied by a large number of other artists including 'Robin Armstrong', the leader of 'Cosmograf', which is also producing the album. The subject matter is relatively dark as it is the story of a queen who tries to kill herself but heaven will not allow it and offer redemption instead. Musically, it's not too in tune with the theme because we navigate between rock and progressive pop which brings us back to the 70s, the atmospheres being quiet and relaxing.
And it is with the 8 minutes of 'And She Appeared' that the album begins and we embark on classic progressive and catchy with a first chorus that goes directly into your head and which can make you think of the atmospheres pastorals of the first 'Barclay James Harvest', then, 'Regal Pride' continues in a more measured rhythm, the saxophone bringing a nonchalant side. Follows 'Consumed', introduced by a classical acoustic guitar, and which continues for a sung part with folk intonations, the flute and the violin further amplifying the feeling of lightness of the whole. With 'The Burning Flame', after the instrumental introduction highlighting the electric guitar of 'Gareth Cole', the title continues with a very beautiful relaxing ballad with a 'Floydian' look, then, 'Colour and Shapes' is an instrumental which takes us on a very beautiful musical journey, to the sound of the saxophone of 'Peter Jones', melancholy at the beginning then more catchy then with the arrival of the drums and which continues in the second part with a magnificent guitar solo. We return to more classic pop like 'Barclay James Harvest' with 'Why Are You Here?' which unfolds a beautiful peaceful melody, then, 'Returned' shows a completely different face with vocal sound effects and more electronic keyboard sounds of the 80s and 'The Essence' (see video here) continues in this same decade and can recall certain electronic sounds that Alan Parsons ' brought to rock at that time. And it is with the 9 minutes of Imagine' that the album ends: it opens with a church organ and continues with a serene sung part with a beautiful melody. At 2.30, the drums enter the track and accompany the vocals, then, the second part of the title gives pride of place to instrumental interventions, with successively luminous keyboards, a very beautiful 'Hackettian' guitar solo (reminiscent of 'Genesis') and, finally, again a beautiful saxophone solo, the sung finale returning to the main theme and ending on the same church organ sounds as the beginning of the title.
In summary, 'Dave Bandana', well helped by quality artists (special mention for 'Peter Jones' and his saxophone) releases a very beautiful album that takes us back to the early 70s with melodic compositions that should satisfy all lovers of imaginative progressive rock that can be listened to quietly through headphones to decompress after a hard day's work... | |
