THE SAGARMATHA DILEMMA

FIRST REVIEW OF THIS ALBUM

The man behind this musical project is Canadian guitarist/keyboardplayer/singer Stéphane Desbiens, a very prolific and creative person: on his 11th he started to play guitar and when he was 20 he had already a lot of experience, he joined the bands Rose Nocturne and later progrock band Sense, in 1996 he released his first solo album entitles Desbienes Acoustic, he was technician, studio musician, guitar teacher and even played in an Irish folk band, what a stunning curriculum vitae!

This year (2008) The D Project has released the CD entitled The Sagarmatha Dilemma, Stéphane founded a band with musicians, from drums to Chapman stick and violin and even known guest musicians like singer Stu Nicholson (Galahad) and keyboardplayer Derek Sherinan (of Dream Theater fame, plays on one track. During the first part of this album I quickly got the idea that Stéphane had put his love for Pink Floyd very obviously into his music because of the Floydian inspired guitarwork in the alternating and compelling compositions Closer To My Soul / Closer To Heaven (The Wall atmosphere and a strong accellaration with organ and fiery guitar, then joined by a swirling violin) and The Red Mountain (beautiful part with classical guitar runs). But soon I discovered that The D Project is more than a kind of modern sounding Pink Floyd, the other five songs deliver lots of variety, subtle musical ideas and strong breaks: a mid-tempo with violin-Mellotron and powerful guitar in the titletrack, a bombastic eruption with choir- Mellotron and a break with a propulsive guitar in the captivating and varied Even If I Was Wrong, a jazzrock climate with lots of dynamics and a spectacular interlude with Al DiMeola/John McLaughlin-like, dazzling guitar runs in the fluent Radio Sherpa and a musical adventure in the short but exciting final piece I'm Coming Down (I Shall Go Back), from a part with a dreamy violin and subtle guitarwork to a bass solo on the Chapman stick and a compelling and bombastic end with raw and fat guitar riffs, I love it!

This is the kind of album that grows and grows because of the variety, from neo-prog (Thin Air) to the aforementioned jazzrock, symphonic rock and progressive melodic rock, especially the progheads who love powerful guitarplay will be pleased with this strong album!

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