PLANET JUNKIE

Review # 108. I discovered Drifting Sun with the release of Trip the Life Fantastic, and I have been following their releases since then. I don't know how they do that, but with every new release, they become better and better.

The band's new album is Planet Junkie, which, in my ears sound different than their previous works. Maybe one of the reasons for that is the absence of Peter Falconer, the band's singer. I don't know why, but suddenly Drifting Sun left without a lead singer. Pat Sanders, the band's leader, decided to invite some singers he already knew, in order to participate in Falconer's place. Three of them accepted the invitation, so Planet Junkie includes three lead singers instead of one; which add a lot in the album's dynamic.

The album is separated into 3 major parts, and on each part, there is a different lead singer. These 3 parts are divided with an instrumental piece. So, Planet Junkie includes 9 songs and 2 instrumental pieces.

As far as I know, Pat Sanders faced many difficult situations in his personal life lately, and many of those situations are reflected in Planet Junkie. The album is filled with wonderful and melancholic melodies, which, in my opinion, has always been the strong point in their music. Pat is a skilled composer and musician, and he is able to write some heartbreaking melodies which I adore, and this album is not an exception.

But the album is not only about melancholy and drama. It also includes some uplifting songs, like Planet Junkie and Within Your Bones for example, which are excellent.

I'm sure that the fans of Drifting Sun will enjoy this album a lot, but because this is not a typical Drifting Sun album, I would recommend it to everybody. Even if you never liked the music of Drifting Sun before, you should listen to Planet Junkie. Maybe you will be pleasantly surprised by its quality. I don't think there is anything else to say. Listen to the album and you will form your own opinion.

Favorite songs so far: Within Your Bones, Missing, Night Time Sorrow, Planet Junkie, Stay with Me.

My Rating: 4.5 stars.