NEW WORLD (DELUXE EDITION)

Your thoughts on this album will really depend on how you approach it. If you are likely to get frustrated by the obvious influences from past bands, then you should steer clear. On the other hand, if you begin by accepting that this album is paying homage to a golden era, you will find it to be the most satisfying listen in years.

Parts of this album (including Dave Kerzner's voice which is classic Gilmour) give you a glimpse of what Pink Floyd would probably sound like now had they carried on, and is the nearest you could ever get to a full new Pink Floyd album. Indeed, if the Floyd had released this last year it would probably be a huge success. I must add however, that this is also a great album in it's own right. A taste of everything I love from the history of Prog, plus so much more. The 2cd edition takes you on a wonderful journey, and although listening to both discs in one sitting may be a little taxing (over 70mins each!), it really is an amazing output. If you love Pink Floyd - (both Dark Side & Wall era's), a bit of ELO, some Tull, all wrapped up in a Sound of Contact package, then this will be your Viagra!

This really is a masterpiece. Not in the sense of a unique piece of classic work, but by being 140 minutes of prog bliss. Please do not be put off by the Floyd influence, but instead embrace it, and let yourself drift away on the best nostalgia trip possible.

Ironic, isn't it? Pink Floyd rests on its golden laurels and massive fortune, hiding for so long behind Waters' brick wall, cashing in on past glories and finally, after unending speculation, release "The Endless River", a nearly all-instrumental eulogy to the sadly departed Richard Wright. Though a fine piece of music, truth is long time PF producer Andy Jackson's recent "Signal to Noise" seemed way more Pinky than the meandering tribute to the Farfisa man. Now, from the US of A, we have the über talented Dave Kerzner, a multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer ad engineer of high repute, not only for his Sound of Contact collaboration with Simon Collins but who has also worked on a multitude of prog and non-prog artists that range from rock, jazz, pop, blues, progressive, alternative, metal, grunge and even throwing in Streisand, Madonna and Beyoncé.

It was time for a solo album that would focus on his personal likes and he simply followed his heart and opted for a 2 CD opus that, for all intended purposes, out floyds Floyd! "New World" was put together lovingly with intense admiration for the Ummagummars, Dave having invited a stellar crew of cameo artists ranging from the prolific Steve Hackett, the super busy Nick D'Virgilio as well as Heather Findlay (ex-Mostly Autumn), the legendary Keith Emerson, drummer extraordinaire Simon Phillips, It Bites mastermind Francis Dunnery, Yes bassist Billy Sherwood, Porcupine Tree bassist Colin Edwin and Big Big Train vocalist David Longdon, among many others.

There are pieces on Disc One that are beyond the Dark Side of the Moon, such as the multi-suited 11+ minute opener "Stranded" , a delirious journey to echoing islands of mood-altering sonics that grabs the jugular right from the first note. Steve Hackett adds his usual high gloss glissando guitar to shine up the proceedings, soaring mightily like only he can. Blending the familiar with some experimental stylistics create an immediate impression that favors the thumbs up, Kerzner's resonant piano and echoed voice finds itself harnessed by bashing rhythms as well as whooshing backing female vocals that just ooze class. A thoroughly enjoyable entrance into the 'New World'.

Then you have an outright PF sounding classic like the huge epic "Into the Sun" which cries out for immediate standing applause. This is so PF, the law firm crew of Mason-Gilmour & Waters just might be compelled to sue, applying the proverbial retribution screw. Colin Edwin holds down the low end and this just might be the most immediately appealing track on the album, certainly among the top ones. Gently gliding along from the outset, the melody is sublime and yet so simple, as if heard and seen previously in one mind's eye. Mellotron basks the chorus in shimmering rays of sunlight, fresh, bright and subtle, eliciting a genuine sense of soaring flight, 'far away from every one', as if Icarus just refused to see the danger and willingly perish trying. The bombastic vortex builds into a cinematic kaleidoscope of sounds and effects that reach for the farthest skies. 9 minutes of total bliss. "The Lie" actually resembles uncannily the recent German RPWL's recorded output, a clearly influenced Floydian pop psychedelia that is well-constructed, effortlessly delivered and instantaneously addictive. Certainly more immediate than the previous extravagant compositions, this sounds like a psychedelic pop song, something "Sky Moves Sideways' Wilson would expound. 'You can't escape the lie, no matter how hard you try' sears the message firmly, sealed by some fiery guitar soloing from Fernando Perdomo. Interspersed are brief 1-2 minute keyboard-propelled snippets ("The Traveler" and "Reflection") that mirror the Wright-led experimentations so recognizable on "The Endless River", bubbly gymnast synthetics amid a vaporous interplanetary vivacity.

The seductive "Secret" could have been a piece off the aromatic "Meddle" album, a soporific melodrama that induces daydreaming and sunshiny euphoria, luminously pastoral and deliciously naïve. The voice in particular conveys a hushed phantasmagoria of sky gazing, very Gilmour and quite fleecy. The melody is once again instantly permeating, a winner in the classical sense, with 'papa pa pah, pah pah' choirs that rekindle the spirit of '69, flower power era-naïveté at its zenith. Horror movie tension greets "Under Control", as it hints at spookier climates espoused in spirit by that often delusional mad man Roger Waters , a slightly schizoid and 'marching hammer' paranoid vocal from some unyielding man without eyebrows and even less morality, a willing tool of the system. The ticking clocks convey both sweltering dread and unsuppressed anxiety, forlorn piano and slippery orchestrations playing the shadowy game accordingly.

The equally heroic "Premonition Suite" conjures an onset of chic decadence as the majestic piano and magical flute weave solemn charm, Francis Dunnery shows off some dynamic guitar skills that cannot go unnoticed, manhandling his fret board with glee. A sweeping intermezzo only serves to up the tempo, as another menacing whirlwind lurks on the horizon, giving Kerzner the opportunity to ride his organ and synthesizers into a fine workout frenzy. Female choir aids and abets in bringing on the sinful enchantment. This is way more urgent, brash and delirious than the previous tracks, whisked by an obviously heavy vibe and a grandiose arrangement that seeks out emotion and intense introspection.

Things get floating with the vivid vocals on "In the Garden", loaded up with sublime whispered melodies and those trademark backing female vocals that always seem to be forgotten when talking Floyd (wailing voice provided here by PF singer Durga McBroom), an anthem of entrancing, sweeping and misty magnificence. Here Kerzner winks at "the Great Gig in the Sky" yet the main male vocal is sensual and the chorus to die for, weary and sincere as the floral arrangement keep blooming nicely. Stunning!

The muted vocal on "The Way Out" again veers near Yogi Lang (RPWL) territory, a cool piano leading the charge, once gain imbued with a clear sense of adventure and beyond. The bright synth solo as well as all the solar sonic glare that shrouds this piece makes for some inspired easy listening, elevated with booming crescendos and contrasting ebb and flows. A simple slide guitar solo welds itself to a synth foray, et voila! Damage done, unaware and content. Its companion piece, the luxuriant dreamland that is "Recurring Dream" finishes off the first CD on a very high note indeed, as not a single second has been corrupted by pap or filler. Just good strong melodies with superlative and restrained ego soloing, a sizzling exercise in memorable playing and singing.

CD 2 is perhaps even more progressive, chock full of more brimming melodies, percolating with wondrous technique and inquisitive fantasy, which is what a great prog album should source in the listener's mind. Attention to detail becomes evident on 'Crossing of Fates" , as sweeping synthesized orchestrations, rollicking organ runs, hammered piano and jaunty guitar take the stage, pushed along by slick bass work from the talented Billy Sherwood and Simon Phillips' polyphonic drum fills (Man, what a drumster!). Then throw in Keith Emerson's ridiculous cameo synth solo that hurtles along like some careening F1 speedster and your jaw lies bleeding in your hand! This is one hell of a super-groupy song, masters at work and play. Intermingled are transitory 1-2 minute keyboard-propelled extracts (" Biodome" and "Erased") that emulate the Wright-led research so identifiable on "The Endless River", effervescent acrobat synthetics amid a hazy interstellar animation.

For a slight deviation from the Floydian menu, the swirly "Theta" swims along in aquatic guitar splendour, showing off some hallucinatory Hillage-isms (Tablas, long extended notes, lady space whispers, fret scales like from some rising electric fish) that are just plain charming and unexpected. I mean, wow! This bleeds right into the gaseous "My Old Friend", another narcotic brick in someone's wall, exploring a breeze of slicing sounds, shifting rhythms and 'unexpected curves'. The overall mood here is highly soporific and densely cloudy as the hush sweeps along unrushed. Guest guitarist Russ Parrish (Steel Panther) unleashes a series of electric discharges that heighten the verve.

The buzzing "Ocean of Stars" is definitely choppier, yet still drenched in moody psychedelia, bouncing from one dream to another, once again not that far removed from RPWL'S recent output. This is a very good track though a small step down from the previous jewels, perhaps needing more repeat listens to catch the finery and the details. "Solitude" has a natural simplicity that begs attention, Kerzner's piano and mellotron greeting the listener with waves of gentle abandon, hushed sample voice effects, upfront "oooooh" backing vocals and front end wailing from Emily Lynn and Lorelei McBroom make this a true killer piece, intoxicating and invigorating at the same time. Phew!

Boom-boom drums scatter the leaves as the sweeping hurricane slams through the speakers, a mighty anthem and colossal production that beckons the listener to pay attention, the hurtling "Nothing" has an almost steam-roller disposition. Nick D'Virgilio ponds greatly throughout the album but here, he really slams hard. A little snarl in the vocals does great justice to their appeal, this is certainly not syrupy or saccharine by any stretch. In fact, there is a lot of sound design here that goes way beyond the normal PF clichés.

Three 5 minute 'songs' are set up to prepare for the home stretch, little ditties that tell 'sympathetic stories' , beginning with the resonating "Realign", a story of contrasts between steel and silk, seemingly effortless but enjoyable. The echoing chorus really hits raw nerves by its urgency and desperation. The clanging "Nexus" is mournful, aggressive, fizzy like an erupting volcano, though instrumental and quite experimental in terms of construction. The sad piano walks through the shimmering walls of sound, as if searching for some shadow amid the glare. Actually a tremendous piece, a definite highlight. The title track is an almost Beatles-like composition, sounding very RPWL again in its immediacy, a clever vocal that sticks to the theme of universal hope for a somewhat better future, the collision between yesterday and tomorrow, the endless human river of wondering what the hell is going on?

The deluxe edition ends with a smart-ass 21 minute epic that mirrors the opening suite, "Stranded Parts 6-10", aptly titled "Redemption", once again featuring the illustrious Hackett and the impressive Dunnery, exchanging glitter and gold, surrounded by a hedge of aural genius , hell bent drum patterns and solid backing vocal support. Measured and deliberate, the arrangement sprouts some orchestral sounds in no apparent haste, judiciously adding sonic bricks into the symphonic wall, letting the talented musicians let loose and carve some serious expanse. The electric guitars spare no prisoners, lurking in the shadows, ready to pounce unsuspectingly at the slightest provocation. Needless to state that combining glorious epic pieces like the 10 part "Stranded" suite that also happens to book end the album, clocking in at over 33 minutes in total , gives the progressive enthusiast all the drool needed to then enjoy the more accessible tracks, basking in the adventure of it all. Drama, scope, contrast, atmosphere and bombast are all sitting in on the party.

Any dedicated prog fan should appreciate the incredible quality here on display, if this would have been Pink Floyd's "New World", I have no doubt that it would be sitting at the very top of the charts. Dave Kerzner has created a massive, opulent and timeless piece of psychedelic prog that will stand the test of time. Needless to say, the production is first class, as well as the artwork and booklet.

5 new-fangled realms

You've already been told that it sounds like Pink Floyd ad nauseum. [Yawn] To my classical ears, it, like everything else written since 1734, sounds like Bach's Brandenburg Concertos (or some derivative thereof). OK, I exaggerate, but you get the point. This is not a melodic copy of anyone, even though, stylistically, one could pick out any number of analogues.

The album is a long programmatic piece (or "concept album" as prog-heads call it) about a chap making his long way home across a desert, which gives the artist a broad, flexible canvas to paint some lyrics. The lyrics are not abstruse - IMHO something that is welcome as I don't need to undertake some Tolstoyesque deconstruction.

Musically, it is full of melody and sweeping harmony, avoiding discordance along the way. Whilst being programmatic, it is not gapless, with brief pauses between each track. This probably doesn't help, but to get an idea, my other half hates prog, but she described this as quite acceptable and inoffensive! (Dave, if you read this, that's not an insult. Honestly.) The guitar solos avoid squealing cacophony and stick to the easier-on-the-ear noodles. The quality of the musicianship is second to none ' this really is an assemblage of the very best ' and it sounds like it.

Only one teensy weensy niggle: is that creative digital clipping I hear on Ocean of Stars? Not a fan: personally, I would personally have gone for the unclipped version on such a melodic track, or for some mild limiting at most. (And if it's not clipped: my bad. :) )

What do I think? Well, I love melody, especially big sweeping melody, and when I first heard this, whereas my normal reaction on hearing a good track is "hmmm' that's not bad", when I first heard this album, my reaction was "f**king hell - this is extraordinary!" as the hairs on my neck erected! I don't just like it, I love it; and, if you also love big sweeping melodies, you'll also love this. Indeed, of this particular sub-genre, I'd say that it is essential listening - a masterpiece - and for that reason, it must get the full 5. Already looking forward to album 2 and a UK tour. :)

One other note: I recommend buying the 24-bit 96k FLAC download, which also includes the shorter non-deluxe version. The shorter version includes less tracks and also some of the tracks themselves are shorter. Personally, I prefer this version: in the age of "unlimited" digital downloads, why leave good quality music on the cutting room floor?