LOVE, FEAR AND THE TIME MACHINE

Riverside have produced one awesome album after another and this, their latest, takes a new direction but is no less lacking in excellence. "Love, Fear And The Time Machine" has a sound more akin to Steven Wilson's solo albums but this is not a bad thing, and there are still heavy passages of guitar and that glistening vibrating Hammond sound is prevalent. It would be the last album for guitarist Piotr Grudziński may he rest in peace. He had been attending a Winery Dogs concert in Warsaw the night before but died on the 4th of March from a sudden cardiac arrest. Riverside cancelled the tour dates, released a compilation of ambient and instrumental pieces, titled Eye of the Soundscape, and held off replacing Piotr Grudziński, instead becoming a trio. Mariusz Duda played guitar on the albums, and session members played live. On February 22, 2017 Riverside announced that guitar player Maciej Meller will join the band as a touring member. So "Love, Fear And The Time Machine" acts as a tribute to Piotr and the last studio album since 2015.

Opening with Lost (Why Should I Be Frightened By a Hat?) the listener will be greeted by the clean vocals of Mariusz Duda and wonderful reflective lyrics; "I dropped down again, From a star, On a desert island, Full of skies, And I saw a boy, Looking up, Dreaming of his future, From my past, Soon I drew an ocean, Tamed the sun, And I plunged my feet Into the sand, Bit by bit I came To understand, How I miss this freedom, And the swoosh of waves." The musical interlude is delightful with proggish guitar licks and Lapaj's Hammond gloriously pervading over.

Under The Pillow has a cool guitar motif and lyrics that implore the protagonist to stop hiding under the pillow and face the consequences of their actions. There are some very atmospheric moments with keyboards and guitars trading off well and an energetic rhythm section. This is enhanced by the addition of a great lead break and shimmering keyboards overlayed. The bass heartbeat at the end is fabulous as the guitar soars over; a simply stunning track on the album.

‪#Addicted is adorned by a massive bassline, and very infectious guitar hooks. It is a clean sound and very accessible music overall. It has a Deep Purple feel at times, and this is really an outstanding track due to the melody that ingrains itself into your brain and Mariusz Duda's vocals that are superb. Caterpillar And The Barbed Wire is remarkable for its lyric content such as; "I want to fly, I want to flap my wings, And cause a hurricane in your heart, Butterflies Better lies than hate, But I can't pretend anymore, I'm tired of suppressing all of my needs, I want to belong to the cloudless sky, Not to the shaded ground." The atmosphere is darkened by distorted guitar riffs and some haunting keyboards, and the rhythm is fractured.

Saturate Me has killer guitar licks and some beautiful keyboards backed by a strong rhythm foundation. The lyrics are more supressed, not as many but I love how it is sung with an ethereal reverberation; very trippy and spacey with a psychedelic edge. As the time sig locks into 3/4 a glorious lead guitar break takes over; one of the best moments of the album.

Afloat is a soft gentle approach from the band more akin to Steven Wilson in most respects. Duda's vocals are second to none, sparkling clear and haunting. Piotr's guitar is mesmirising, as is the keyboard work of Lapaj.

Discard Your Fear has a melody that immediately appealed to my senses. The bass is relentless and it is the guitar lick that grabs me along with those incredible keyboard flourishes. There are some heavy percussion fills on this, and a simply stunning instrumental break; it really is a great track.

Towards The Blue Horizon has wonderful melodies and guitar riffs that hook into the brain. Time Travellers opens on an acoustic layer with the strong vocals about travelling across lands far away, "We survived, To believe that this is not the end, This is not the time, Moving unseen beyond, The shadows, Waiting for, The birth of a star we can follow."

Found (The Unexpected Flaw Of Searching) continues the theme of searching and longing for peace in a world of chaos. A soaring lead break augments the track, emotionally played by the late Piotr. So the album ends on a melancholy note.

Overall this Riverside album is excellent throughout and even though it is a much more softer approach, it does not detract from the musicianship that is always brilliant. The vocals, the lyrics, the themes all make up for a very emotional listening experience and one that Riverside fans should enjoy from end to end.