The sixth chronicle devoted to progressive rock albums is that of English of 'Drifting Sun' which, after fifteen years of absence, came back in 2014 with 'Safe Asylum' in 2016 and 'Twilight' in 2017 (see review here) and release a new album 'Planet Junkie'. For this album, following 'Peter Falconer' health problems, 'Pat Senders' has called on new group singers with 'Marc Atkinson', the singer of 'Riversea', 'Colin Mold' who shot with 'Karnataka' and released 3 solo albums and 'Joshua Corum' from 'Head With Wings' (see here ). Apart from the 2 instrumental titles, the short and clean 'Life' and 'I Will Be King' which highlight 'Pat Senders' first at the piano and then at the Hammond organ, the other 9 titles are shared equitably between the guest singers who interpret 3 each. First of all, 'Peter Falconer' with the first 3 titles including the first 'Within Your Bones' takes us several decades back with references in the big progressive rock band of the 70s/80s like 'Alan Parsons Project' (see her latest album here) and with an instrumental part where 'Sarah Skinner' offers us a wonderful saxophone solo, then, 'Planet Junkie' accelerates the tempo in an energetic composition before 'Missing 'which shows that' Marc Atkinson 'is equally at home in quieter compositions. As for 'Colin Mold', the compositions are all calm and serene with first the ballad 'Night-Time Sorrow', then, 'Stay With Me' continues in this aerian atmosphere and finally 'To Tame a Star' which we embark for more than 8 minutes in a progressive and inventive title cut into several parts with rich instrumental parts. It is with 'Joshua Corum' that the album ends with first of all the very beautiful ballad very stripped piano/voice 'Born of a Dream' embellished by the violin of 'Eric Bouillette', then, 'Diogenes' is rather confusing but reveals itself gradually listening after listening, and finally, 'Everlasting Creed' is a kind of summary of the album with a progressive title of 10 minutes which sees succeed several parts with changes of intensity and tempo and with always remarkable instrumental arrangements. In short, it is still a faultless for the English of 'Drifting Sun' that offers us a quality album, and 'Planet Junkie' should appeal to an audience that loves a varied and accessible progressive rock mixing multiple influences... | |
