LOSE A LIFE

The Scottish band BEGGARS OPERA had its heyday in the early 70's, back then issuing a trio of albums that are generally well regarded. Their recording career went into decline after that, however, and after 1980's "Lifeline" they went on a hiatus. A partial reformation by some members resulted in the less than thrilling effort "The Final Curtain" in 1996 as something of a last whimper. Then in 2007 original guitarist Ricky Gardiner and vocalist Virginia Scott returned with the album "Close to My Heart", and in 2009 this was followed by "Touching the Edge". And these days this reformed version of Beggars Opera seems to have reached some sort of creative peak, issuing no less than 3 full albums in 2010. "Lose a Life" is the last item of this trio.

Late 70's-sounding art rock dominated by two epic creations is what we're served on "Lose My Life", with orientations towards symphonic rock and space rock respectively, all wrapped up inside a concept album dealing with a topic the artist has a strong emotional attachment to. If this sounds intriguing, and in particular if you tend to enjoy bands exploring musical universes not too far away from Pink Floyd in overall style, Beggars Opera and "Lose a Life" might just warrant your attention. As long as you're not looking for a clone band that is: Despite many similarities, Beggars Opera has its own musical and compositional details that create a distinct musical identity.