MAKE BELIEVE IT REAL

'Make Believe It Real' is another SPIRITS BURNING co-production where Bridget Wishart plays an important role according to lyrics and music - a singer/songwriter artist working in partnership with Don Falcone since 2003. Yet again just about a million freelance collaborators or so are involved in the recordings. Many familiar names are deriving from the widespread Hawkwind family hereby. To bring such an amount of musicians together for the recordings would mean to achieve the impossible, hence cultivating this sort of approach in developing music - which is Don's job most likely - requires another strategy of course.

CD1 features eleven new compositions, where the second disc comprises remixes and songs that were previously available on compilations only. Generally speaken this is more dedicated to spend a relaxed one and a half hour. Apart from the synths maybe, a space rock component decreases here to the benefit of ambient, folk, jazz and lounge associated moments. Accordingly Bridget is not acting like a standard rock singer, her voice is rather charming, more ethereal, restrained, not pushing at all. Also, well-known for being in control of a EWI synthesizer she's contributing a lot here while generating diverse wind instruments. On top of it the cover artwork is developed by her too.

Technically seen this is flawless, as everything what is worked out by Don's hands music-wise, no doubt. A lot of details are to recognize again. And the album is far from being overproduced, regarding such a bunch of different contributors. However the compostions can't seduce me all the way through. The extended fok/chamber drenched Reflections suite for example can't touch my soul, probably designated as the album's centerpiece and certainly produced with heart and mind. A matter of taste of course. On the other hand, featuring Alan Davey's (bass) and Jay Tausig's (guitar) ambitious share, I like the powerful Eternal Energy that much.

Luckily the bonus tracks on CD2 are considerably improving the whole production, starting with the space rock genre typical Always. Or just following the wonderful triphop flavoured Iceflow which comes Lunar Dunes reminiscent. And finally Chain Of Thought evolves to another captivating exemplar. This album may find some fans, especially those who are oriented at Bridget's appeal of course. Anway, I would prefer other SPIRITS BURNING productions though. Apart from that - and this will round up my rating in the end.- for me it's still awe-inspiring to observe how this collective is realizing the process of developing music.