ECHOES OF ALBION

Owning all his solo albums as well as the ones with The Morrigan, I can safely state without any fear of reprisal or judgement, that Colin Masson is a perennial favourite of the Rogue library since day one, eons ago. Needless then to point out that when seeing this new effort on the radar, realizing that there are only 3 tracks and an hour's worth of music, I immediately proceeded to gulp, gasp and glow in abject ecstasy, and push that darn purchase button. Objectivity is always hard when you are a big fan and not a blasé curmudgeon who feels better when spewing venom from afar (AKA a music critic). I know what I like, even in my wardrobe. So, make room for 2024's "Echoes of Albion", another palpitating adventure that conjures aromas of the saline sea, the lush green fields, the feudal fortresses, the Roman ruins and proper fish and chips! For those readers who are oblivious to this artist, its never too late to get acquainted with some astonishing music with compelling Celtic inclinations, masterfully delivered by a blistering guitar that can evoke Mike Oldfield in tone and all together, offering a sonic cinema of your own making, playing in your head. Along with the equally famed guitarists Dave Bainbridge and Dave Brons, Colin keeps the Gaelic epic style and atmosphere very much alive, relying on the eternally mystical resonance of British, Irish, Welsh, and Scottish folk music to flourish well into the 21st century. So, unless you are a fan of the 2-minute punk tune (goodbye, then), the fans of wandering, wide-screen epic progressive rock will jubilate way beyond any words I could ever come up with. Colin takes over all the instrumental duties and vocal responsibilities here, a one-man show for the ages.

The title track is a 22 minute + leviathan that unexpectedly appears through an opaque vocal fog, tribal drums gently pounding in the distance, a choir-like hypnotic swirl that serves to inebriate the mood, with a plethora of sensations, from dread to curiosity and an ever-growing sense of elevation to a higher plane. When the shrieking electric guitar slices through the mist, and then the diabolical bass skirting the choppy waves like a sea serpent gone berserk, you fall prey to the undeniable charm, the bombast adding to any trepidation, but reassured at the very last moment by sorrowful orchestral symphonics to soothe the bruised soul. Transitioning back to flickers of tingling guitar phrasings (the man's finger technique is breathtaking) that build up a new distant storm, perhaps the onset of grey clouds and rain to start, maybe the spirits of Thor and Odin providing some temporary thunder and lightning. But the vapor recedes, and the sun comes back again for another attempt at lucidity. Back and forth it goes, from light to opacity, and its fascinating! The acoustic guitar segment is celestial in its utter precision and the tonal beauty is triumphantly heartfelt. The crystalline electric guitar chaperone is equally enjoyable. Then the pitch becomes more circularly compressed (à la Oldfield) and the Celtic vortex kicks in, with stimulating effect, taking this magnificent musical dolmen all the way to Stonehenge for a gentle landing.

The nearly 16 minutes of "On Martin Down" proposes a wholly alternate modulation, at first tremendously restrained and meditative, slowly blooming into a series of guitar elevations that progressively heighten the electricity while still remaining respectful and serene. The acoustic work is again off the charts, limpidly flowing from the fingers to the strings, a delicate flute fluttering for awhile like a curious butterfly eyeing some blooming flower. Bucolic and pastoral, one can close their eyes and imagine to their hearts content. Colin ushers in the influential lead guitar to great effect, a celebration of the joy and the resulting pleasure at all the surrounding beauty. Titanic orchestrations and subtle electronics combine to attach a Vangelis-like euphoria to the arrangement, finished off by the most relaxing finale possible.

The colossal "Caledonia" is the clincher without any doubt, a reference to the Roman name for Scotland (The Roman Empire built this wall, you see?to keep the Scots on the other side, LOL) and as such, it might just be the perfect musical travelogue to define both the highlands and the lowlands, as the scope and the intent is clearly cinematographic imagery of the finest pedigree. Shimmering electronic keyboard and glittering organ swells dominate the aural landscape, constructing the solid structure to eventual permit the slippery guitar to glide, like a soaring eagle searching for its prey. Once again, we are treated to another exemplary acoustic guitar showcase, a most welcome interloper by now as it calms the tension and suggests harmonious inspiration for the next journey on the road to discovery. The slick organ and fuzzy guitar decide to duel it out, a contest between two hardy tartans, in order to figure who gets the next round! A playful jig is up next for the two antagonists, swirling, twirling, and dancing the day away. The carving bass enters the stage to take the composition in a new direction, eventually leading to more glittering electronics, capped by a rousing axe outbreak, flush with urgency, despair, agony, and resolution. One of the finest solos one could ever hope for, impeccable in technique and impossibly emotional. A majestic display. The synthesized carpet of gentleness only sets the stage for the final hurrah, a wickedly tortured rant that slays the proverbial dragon, Colin surely impersonating St George as he looks up to the tower where the now rescued princess awaits. Echoes of Albion, indeed.

5 Avalons. [email protected]

As guitarist and vocalist of the symphonic prog meets British folk rock band The Morrigan, COLIN MASSON has been taking the traditional sounds of the British Isles into the world of progressive rock since the 1980s with The Morrigan's debut release "Spirit of the Soup" which appeared well before the "prog is cool again" 90s. Despite his multi-decade stint with that Salisbury, UK based outfit, MASSON has equally amassed an impressive number of solo works that tackle all the stylistic approaches as in The Morrigan only as a solo artist has found an equal dedication in amassing a canon of folk fueled prog that borders on new age and orchestral works.

Consistently accumulating a canon of fine works since 2001's "Isle of Eight," MASSON returns in 2024 with his fifth overall solo release titled ECHOES OF ALBION. The term ALBION refers to Great Britain and is the oldest toponym for the island that is comprised of England, Scotland and Wales and is derived from the Greek language. The term is primarily used poetically to describe the island primarily in the context of mythology and fantastical reinterpretations of the distant past. A perfect escape hatch term for the world of progressive rock where visions of mythological beasts and kingdoms are one of the defining zeitgeists of the world of early progressive rock.

Diving into the mythical prospects of yore, MASSON delivers an hour's worth of Mike Oldfield inspired prog in three sprawling tracks: two well over the 20-minute mark and one just a mere near 16-minute opus. Once again MASSON focuses on his unique crossover prog abilities to weave the classic British folk traditions into the world of progressive rock with orchestral accoutrements and a propensity for an extraordinary production job that makes it all sound new and relevant well on into the 21st century. While MASSON has collaborated with fellow Morrigan member Cathy Alexander on previous solo releases, on this one he's a one man band handling his usual guitar duties but also bass, keyboards, vocals and the drum programming. However the album is primarily instrumental. It's the COLIN MASSON show!

The first track is the 22-minute plus "Echoes of Avalon." Avalon is the mythical island of Arthurian legend which first appeared in Geoffrey of Monmouth's 1136 "Historia Regum Britanniae" and a place of magic where King Arthur's sword Excalibur was forged and universal symbol of everything Camelot, the stuff of British legend. This track clearly adopts the Mike Oldfield playbook in that classic incessant marching percussive drive most prevalent on album's such as "The Songs Of Distant Earth" which showcases MASSON's unique tightrope act of crafting prog folk with a breezy easy listening style of new age. The track wends its way through like a prancing pony on the Salisbury plain through a series of lush melodies augmented by orchestral supplementation in proper traditional folk form and despite the lengthy playing time seems to stroll by like a zephyr breeze. The track successfully evokes the imagery in full Avalon regalia.

"On Martin Down" refers to the archeological site near the village of Martin in Hampshire, England which dates back to the Bronze Age which showcases the small domestic settlements which reveal some of the daily habituals of the early Avalonians. Shrouded with mystery and mystique, the track also rocks the Mike Oldfield playbook with a more folk based almost Pagan sounding exuberance. The addition of the woodwind instrumentation has me wondering if recorder extraordinaire Cathy Alexander hasn't sat in as a session member after all and simply hasn't been credited on this release. Whatever the case the recorder is an essential ingredient to this light breezy soft music that is completely instrumental with acoustic guitars with fluffy atmospheric orchestral parts off. The music soundtrack epics are composed of. In fact like many of Oldfield's recordings, MASSON's musical style also evokes a soundtrack quality that despite no film attached, evokes the imagery quite nicely.

The third and final act of ECHOES OF ALBION is the sprawling "Caledonia" which at 25 minutes and 39 seconds is the longest track of the album. Caledonia was the Latin name used by the Roman Empire to refer to the parts of Scotland that lie north of the River Forth constituting the northern half of what is modern day Scotland. The track begins with a heavy atmospheric rumble with guitars that seem to tell a tale from beneath the surface. Once again very Oldfield-esque especially on his new agy albums like "The Songs of Distant Earth." While stylistically a dead ringer to that album, this tale evokes a different set of folk inspired musical scales to narrate the tale of Roman occupied Caledonia. The track is much more electronic based with a fast tempo percussive programming and a labyrinthine procession through melodic passages accompanied by the majestic guitar sweeps. The track is a bit repetitive and doesn't really warrant the playing time. The whole time i was waiting for some bagpipes to creep in but it pretty much stuck to the same Mike Oldfield playbook and seemed to be stuck on perpetual loop. While the other tracks kept me enthralled, this one just sort of left me cold after 1/3 the way thorugh. In fact of all the tracks, this one sounds like it could've been lifted off any Oldfield album.

MASSON has certainly proved that he can emulate his idol as competently as Oldfield emulates himself and ECHOES OF ALBION is certainly a mesmerizing mythological venture into the sonic textures of ancient Britain however as beautifully constructed as this music is and no matter how masterfully it is performed, the derivative nature of the entire thing leaves me a little let down as MASSON has basically adopted the identical songwriting techniques of Mike Oldfield and seemingly only changed things around enough to avoid any copyright issues. For those like me who have sensitive ears especially when it comes to melodies, tones and timbres, ECHOES OF ALBION is basically a reiteration of Oldfield's classic 1994 new age prog extravaganza "The Songs of Distant Earth" both in theme and in sonic equivalency. This simply rubs me the wrong way when it wouldn't take too much effort to distant oneself more sufficiently. A pleasantry in the listening department but seriously flawed due to the perilous proximity to the parent source. If you don't care about such blatant ripoffs in style then you will clearly love this a lot more than i. If by chance you cherish creativity, originality and the true meaning of the word "progressive" then you might find it a nice diversion but not really something that blows you away.

3.5 rounded down