OUT TO SEA

Good for the opening of 2018, and Fernando's seeing the light. Fernando PERDOMO's full-length album titled 'Out To Sea' should have been a fantastic departure of his musical ship. This voyage inspired by 70s authentic art rock scene is full of vitality and positive power, that can fully amaze the audience. Like the clear blue sky and the quiet sea drawn in the sleeve, this stuff makes us happy. And it's quite surprising Fernando plays all instruments like guitars, keyboards, bass, drums, or percussion.

The first track 'The Architect' dedicated to Peter Banks sounds already delightful. Not so complicated but colourful phrases are here and there, all of which are enough acceptable for every progressive rock fan, I guess. Each sound part is well matured and harmonized with others (again said, this is one-man project!). The following titled one is slightly heavier and more of 'rock', featuring Fernando's crazy dazzling, brilliant guitar plays. Suitable for the audience to digest the voyager out.

In 'The Future According To Roye' we can enjoy his psychedelic guitar sound texture, that might have been influenced by and dedicated to Nektar. One of the most beautifully atmospheric tracks is 'The Dream' that he should look for over the seashore. And another fave of mine is 'Sonja', obviously leaning toward Curved Air. We could see her beneath the song I imagine. The epilogue is so heavy and distorted for us enough to listen without breath. Satie's Gymnop'dies phrase should be my comfort.

Every single song is flexibly seasoned with his pop essence, so might be much approved, I suppose. Recommended.

FERNANDO PERDOMO is a wellknown studio musician from Los Angeles. Recently he appeared on the Dave Kerzner album 'Static' for example, which has made a lasting impression on me. Now here, concerning his first solo album, he pays tribute to diverse prog bands respectively artists, dead and alive both. Well, Fernando certainly is not the first one to undertake such an attempt, however, finally the result matters. Some song titles are directly pointing to the protagonists, others are left open for your examination. Not sure about the deeper sense, while exemplarily the album title track is blatantly referring to Camel (Andy Latimer) I would say.

A big plus well deserved, as he has developed new compositions, not simply remakes. Hereby often enough the particular characteristic playing style will be slightly covered - very nice indeed. And rather astonishing by the way, nearly every instrument is played by himself on this occasion. Although I'm not a friend of such an approach in general, the songs are definitely appealing, this due to his fabulous guitar skills first of all. The extended Dreaming In Stereo Suite may be dedicated to The Flower Kings, where the bonus track Starless is drawing a melancholic reference to anyone other than John Wetton, a proper remembrance. 3.5 stars.

That's right: You should start here.

Yes, this is my fifth album today, but you can do that when 3 of the 4 have little to no interest in them, huh? Is this masochism? I'm not so sure it is this time. It's the Adderall, I'd say most certainly. The first Perdomo releases have been mild to great disappointments, and it's one of those moments where you, the listener, must make the decision about this music for yourself. This was the first release, his fourth, where it was met with more than 2 ratings/reviews before I got to it. That gives me a bit more confidence, but we'll see [Indeed, I did see]. I assume this was the album that in some way brought people's attention to his work. I wish it had been more glaringly obvious (hopefully my reviews of the previous three are of some help to future folk).

From the get-go, "The Architect" is the most rockin' and the most Progressive item we have heard from him yet! I'm genuinely excited. This sounds like Yes! And I hadn't realized until now that it is an homage to the most excellent and I would think only slightly underrated guitarist Peter Banks (Yes, Flash, Empire)!!! Beautiful performance. Great riffage. Everything is beautifully mixed. Praise the Lord! With the opener alone(!), I now understand the observance of this album over what came before.

"De Boerderij" (Dutch for "The Farm") is a great, quick, classic-sounding Prog number. A bright one, for sure. Another that, to me, easily could have made its way onto a late-70s Steve Hackett (or perhaps Jon Anderson) album is the next, "Roses Spread All Over the World". Utilizing electric sitar, into acoustic guitar soloing, this song offers aplenty.

Continuing in the Yesque is "The Future According to Roye", but with greater addition of spacy organ. And actually the track moreso, by the end, reminds me greatly of the epic "Remember the Future" by Nektar! Ok... it's a tribute! hahaha. That was rewarding finding that out! Big thanks to whomever provided that information in the details associated! "The Dream" is quite the micro-epic! Big sound. My mind here goes to contemporaries Once And Future Band.

Yet another tribute (I love the conceptualization for this, really) is to "Sonja", that is Sonja Kristina of Curved Air! Really impressive recreations. Here, spot on. Really impressive. To wrap things up is "Dreaming in Stereo Suite", a 16-minute epic that most immediately calls mid-70s Genesis to mind. Another impressive guitar performance from Perdomo--and much more. I have been completely, 180° flipped on his work.

If you're a fan of classic, guitar-driven Prog (with a lot of great synth), this one will do it for you. This much is clear. And if it wasn't clearer above, truly for fans of Yes, Genesis, Flash, likely Camel, Curved Air, Nektar and perhaps Beardfish or Echolyn or Big Big Train. Very pleased. Wow.