TIM BOWNESS

Electronic leanings and synth-led soundscapes should not surprise anyone, given the main man's No-Man years. But the highlight for me in Bowness' solo releases is how concise he always manages to present them, on the one hand, and on the other, how emotionally and musically rich they always come out to be. 'Butterfly Mind' is no exception to this rule, and in fact, it comes off as one of the better releases of his catalogue, in my humble opinion. The more upbeat moments on the album do, however, sound more convincing than the mellower or more atmospheric numbers, like 'It's Easier to Love' or 'Lost Player'. This would certainly mean that tracks like 'Always the Stranger', a proggy electronic 3-minute long striker, the captivating 'Only A Fool', the elegant and memorable 'Glitter Fades', the main piece of the album, the 8-minute long 'Dark Nevada Dream', or the more traditional rock approach found on 'We Feel', could be indicated as the highlights, although it is fair to say that there aren't any weak spots on here.

With all of these in mind, one could conclude that Bowness' elevating new piece of studio material is an exquisitely fresh offering from the crossover side of the alternative or progressive rock umbrella, whichever you prefer. Elegance and intricacy do not overshadow the emotive presentation, the lovely melodies, or the memorable and though-provoking lyrics. An overall step-up in this discography.

The songs are all very modern, in that they hearken back often to the Eighties as opposed to the Seventies, and often feel as if Richard Barbieri has been involved again as there are plenty of Japan-style moments or early Porcupine Tree. The result is an effective and interesting release which even my wife thinks is a pleasant listen (not what she normally says about my musical tastes). Bowness continues to produce music which is really enjoyable and very different to most withi the prog scene, and long may he continue to do so.

A cast of impressive musicians will be noticed in the album's liner notes: Peter Hammill, Colin Edwin, Jim Matheos, Kevin Godley, David Longdon, among others contribute bits and pieces of music to 'Flowers at the Scene', Bowness' fifth solo offering. However, as eclectic as this album is, one cannot help but also feel a tiny exhaustion around the second half of the album - this is where, in my humble opinion, the pace gets too slow, the continuum of mellow, introverted tracks telling these very personal tales embraces the listener and puts him in some sort of pre-hibernation state and you can hardly remember much of what you've heard, as it leaves an impression that it is a bit washed and monotonous after all.

Opening track 'I Go Deeper' sets a very melancholic tone, this is confirmed by the next song, the dreamy, peaceful 'The Train That Pulled Away', a more intricate and very well-written piece. 'Rainmark' is another 'downer', if I may say so, despite the seemingly more upbeat tone - the unprepared listener might give in to sorrow and melancholia; On a side note, this lovely little song features some fine guitars from Fates Warning's Jim Matheos. All the songs are very vivid in the scenes Bowness is singing about - one of these more cinematic tracks is 'Not Married Anymore', about which I would say reminisces the sinking desperation of 'My Hotel Year', Bowness' first solo release. The title track sees Jim Matheos as a collaborator once again, a pretty beautiful, elegant song. 'It's the World' is the heavy rocker on the album, a dark and agonizing reflection on what could perhaps be a recollection of the author's let-downs throughout his life. This one features Jim Matheos once again as well as Peter Hammill and Steven Wilson. The rest of the album is also very sincerely mellow, the songs slowly unfold just to reveal some pretty moments but unfortunately do not contribute too much to the overall eclecticism of the LP, and as mentioned before, might sound a bit too melancholic.

Still, 'Flowers at the Scene' is a very interesting release, indeed quite eclectic, probably a meeting point between art rock, singer-songwriter and dream pop - an avenue of self-reflection, sorrow and grief, yet it has its moments of hope, joy, and pleasant melancholia. Elegant work that is meant to be listened to, you can hardly find reasons to dance to this album though.

This is less dynamic than the last album I heard of is, more focus on softer numbers and beauty, yet is no less powerful for that. The vibraphone provides a strike and delay that is very different to keyboards, and when combined with fretless bass it has a wonderful effect, and then of course at the front we have Tim's vocals. He truly is one of our finest singers, with a hidden strength, and his knowledge of how to layer the arrangements and yet somehow keeping them simple and allowing his voice to always be at the forefront of what is happening is very special indeed. I can understand why some people may feel this album is a little "samey", but each one of these numbers is a delight, and the result is something I can play all day. Fans of no-man or Bowness should all be grabbing this as yet again he shows why he is so renowned as writer and performer.

Contrast that to "Sing To Me", where repeated piano chords and violins are all that are required on the introduction to accompany Tim as he tells his tale. He works through many different styles during the course of this album, always with his vocals to the fore, and the result is an album which is his most dynamic and compelling to date. There are more levels to this release, more layers, yet always with those vocals at the front. Tim has a way of understanding less is more, and one of the most poignant and powerful songs on the album is "Know That You Were Loved", which has Tim singing against acoustic guitar and slide. There is no room to hide, but the simplicity grabs the listener and brings them in close. "Everything You're Not" is another special song, and not just for the presence of Hammill, but the way it commands attention even though it is delicate and gentle. Very much a songs-based album, Bowness again shows he is one of our finest singers and understands there is no need to be forceful and over the top when grace and majesty does the job just as well.

Anyone who has come across no-man will have an expectation for what is being delivered here, and they will not be disappointed. There is a whimsical melancholy about Tim's material, and an honesty and genuineness that other bands aspire to but rarely achieve. Tim's relationship with guitarist Michael Bearpark goes back many years, not only with no-man but other outfits, and his use of different guitar techniques to emphasise the emotions in the voice is sublime, with Stuart Laws providing bass that has the right amount of delicacy and warmth. There are times when the music feels quite twee, such as on "Smiler at 52", yet the emotions and reality of the vocals take the song in quite a different direction from the electronic backing which is behind it. This is an album which bears repeated listening as there is a great deal to be taken from it, by singer who has been at the front of the game for many years.

The songs are minimally composed without overproduction, carefully crafted, so that each one serves a purpose. The keyboards are the musical backbone on 'My Hotel Year' with some tape recordings, occasional guitars, fuzz bass, and other effects, all placed well in my opinion.

But this is really a record to listen to on a cold rainy night. Tim Bowness conducts quite well the feelings of loneliness, desperation, disappointment with love, and misunderstanding. It feels like a very personal and retrospective record, with some memorable and intriguing art rock numbers like 'I Once Loved You', 'The Me I Knew', 'Hotel Year', 'Making A Mess In A Clean Place'. 'My Hotel Year' is an interesting album but lacks the coherence that, for example, the No-Man albums have, or the Porcupine Tree ones from that same period.

However, the sense of variation from song to song is not so strong as one might have desired, in fact, I feel it falls a little bit short. Don't misunderstand me, even so, I have enjoyed, for example, tracks 01 Northern Rain, and 04 We Caught the Light, which, in addition to the above adduced virtues, feature good vocal harmonies and impeccably emulated staccatto strings.

It's just that this high level of interest is not sustained by each and every track, so, for average's sake, take it as a good one

In this release, as he usually does, he surrounds himself with a great cast of collaborators and as always Tim Bowness sounds like Tim Bowness and no one else.

I could tire you out with Mr. Bowness credentials, but I have done that in other reviews.

In this album there is an energetic feel which renews his heritage, like new blood, and it is all his and it happens all way through from track one to track eleven.

Simplification has been one of Tim Bowness guidelines and he does this without cutting off musical ideas (which he has plenty, both very good & unique), opposite to that this is done by solely displaying the essentials in his compositions, performances, recording and production even in his very intimate lyrics.

So expect diversity in all of Mr. Bowness´ musical language´s scope and a storm of memorable moments compressed in great songs.

4 PA´s stars.

His ninth album is called "Flowers at the Scene" and was released on March 1, 2019. Tim does most of the vocals and synths, but has recruited a line up of guest musicians that is basically a Who's-who of progressive artists. We have appearances of Peter Hammill from Van der Graff Generator, Andy Partridge from XTC, Kevin Godley from 10cc, Colin Edwin from Porcupine Tree, Jim Matheos from Fates Warning and OSI, David Longdon from Big Big Train, and several others. The tracks on the album are all between 3 and 5 minutes with 11 tracks total adding up to a runtime of about 43 minutes.

"I Go Deeper" alternates between a heavy moderate beat with a guitar riff and a atmospheric softness on the chorus. His vocals are unmistakably his trademark sound, especially on the soft sections. "The Train that Pulled Away" starts with a subdued march style percussion and violins emulating a train. Bowness' beautiful vocals reflect a feeling of loneliness and a swelling violin accompanies him. Later, a cello provides bass when the full drum pattern kicks in. "Rainmark" features Jim Matheos. Shimmering synths provide the background and is later joined by a moderate rhythm and occasional brass which slowly build to the lovely guitar solo sandwiched between Tim's airy vocals that always evoke emotions.

"Not Married Anymore" has a pensive feel, but with tonal percussive sounds and piano accompaniment. Dylan Howe guests on drums. Nothing generates the feeling of loneliness or the feeling of regret in music more than Tim's emotional vocals. Exquisite! Jim Matheos also guests on the title track "Flowers at the Scene". This has a more jazz feel to it, a little more upbeat with piano, synths and drums. Jim's perfect guitar work joins in on the 2nd verse and during the instrumental break and it fits perfectly to the feel of the song. "It's the World" features Jim again and Peter Hammill. The song is immediately darker feeling with a heavy guitar and synths. Steven Wilson definitely has a part in this too, it can be heard in the dark, and later, louder feel of the track. I would guess the background harmonies involve Wilson and Hammill here also. This is one I wish was longer.

"Borderline" features Dylan Howe again along with David Longdon on background vocals and flute. There is also a trumpet involved with this soft jazz track. "Ghostlike" starts with a heavy drum progression and stylish synths. This is another dark track and a bit heavier than others and becoming atmospheric in the last minute. This is also the longest track of just over 5 minutes. "The War on Me" returns to a pensive feel with processed piano and synths and airy vocals. "Killing to Survive" features Peter Hammill again. Jangly guitar and piano build under the vocals and a steady drum during the chorus. Hammill's distinctive vocals come in on the 2nd chorus. There is also a great guitar solo in the break, but it's too short. "What Lies Here" features Andy Partridge and Kevin Godley on secondary vocals. Synths and guitar bring in an atmospheric introduction before Tim's airy and pensive vocals start. The harmonized vocals by the guests are a very nice touch here. The track stays soft and atmospheric throughout.

This album is another beautiful reminder of Tim Bowness' musical interpretation skills and it is hard to find a vocalist that can convey lyrics the way that he can. The music on here is mostly soft and melancholic, but that is what I love about his music. There are a few instances where things are more upbeat also, and that lends variety to the album. The one problem is the fact that it only has light doses of Progressiveness, but that is hardly noticeable because of Tim's vocal abilities and textures. the other drawback is I wish a few of the tracks were a little longer. As a regular album, this would be teetering on a 5 star album, but since it is not really that progressive, for the purpose of this site it has to be 4 stars. This is a beautiful album.