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░ ██ ██ Artist: Blackfield ██ ██
▓ █░░ ■█ Album: V █■ ░░█
■ █▓▀ █ Year: 2017 █ ▀▓█ ░
█ ▓ Rel. Date: 2017-04-16 ▓ █
▒ ▒ Genre: Progressive Rock ▒ ▒
█▄ ░ Label: Kscope ░ ▄█
░ █▄ ░ Source: CD ░ ▄█
░ █▓ Type: Album ▓█ ░
▓ █ Quality: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo █ ░ ▓
▓ █ █ ░ ▓
▄ ■ ■ ▓ ■
░█ █░ ▀
█ There is music out there, being written for every █
█ mood, every feeling. Only a few artists are able █
█ to write things that touch the soul and mean █
█ something to the listener. Only a fewer still, are █
█ able to form a connection and cement their place █
█ in the pages of history. Singer-Songwriter Steven █
█ Wilson and Israeli rock singer Aviv Geffen have █
█ constructed something that has come to mean █
█ something very deep and poignant to me. Their █
█ latest effort æBlackfield VÆ is an exploration █
█ into many different flavors of life that are █
█ instantly relatable and equally moving. The █
█ concept is loosely based on the ocean and cycle of █
█ life and thatÆs as much information as I am ready █
█ to divulge. █
█ Each track is rich in melody and seems nostalgic █
█ of the progressive rock bands from the 70s. This █
█ record marks the reunion of Wilson and Geffen in █
█ equal measure and it is reflected in the sound and █
█ lyrical content. The album opens with an █
█ instrumental ôA Drop in the Oceanö which is a █
█ soothing and soaring orchestral passage that flows █
█ into ôFamily Manö which brings Wilson to the █
█ forefront, singing in his signature style and █
█ instantly struck a chord with me. This sounded █
█ very close to his work with Porcupine Tree. █
█ ôWeÆll Never Be Apartö and ôSorrysö features Aviv █
█ on vocals. He has a very raw and organic voice █
█ that has this unbelievably narrative quality to it █
█ that draws the listener to the world that is being █
█ painted. ôLife is an Oceanö starts out a bit █
█ repetitive but then transforms into a huge anthem █
█ of sorts, so in a way, the listener is rewarded to █
█ hanging in there, but I think this song could have █
█ been a bit more dynamic. ôLatelyö is a █
█ straightforward rock number that does not pretend █
█ to be anything more than a simple rock song, but █
█ in my opinion, it could have been rawer and █
█ sharper. Having said that, the dynamic shift when █
█ the female vocals kick in add a different flavour. █
█ A stand out track to me was ôThe Jackalö that █
█ features a sick blues riff Geffen doing an amazing █
█ job as nailing the narrative with his emotive █
█ voice. The chorus revisits familiar territories of █
█ mellow pop-rock sound with a Pink Floyd inspired █
█ solo. That leads into the somber instrumental █
█ called ôSalt Waterö which has an interesting █
█ position in the album and I feel as though it █
█ should have been placed a bit earlier in the track █
█ list. The album waves goodbye with two very █
█ important tracks. ôLonely Soulö has a very █
█ interesting interplay between the drums and bass. █
█ The moaning words ôIÆm a lonely soulö in a catchy █
█ melody carries the song forward and contrasted by █
█ very moving female leads singing ôEverything is █
█ broken, everything is chaosö The last track ôFrom █
█ 44 to 48ö brings us back to StevenÆs signature █
█ singing style supported by some soft and appealing █
█ soundscapes. It is a fitting end to a journey of █
█ an album █
█ This record does require multiple listens to sink █
█ in and while some songs may sound repetitive, █
█ there is enough interesting things going on within █
█ the sound to keep you hooked. Some songs just █
█ sound like a soundtrack to our life. æBlackfield █
█ VÆ marks the return of two very bold and visionary █
█ musicians who consistently put out quality █
█ songwriting and performance chops. Pick this album █
█ and add it to your catalogue of must have music █
█ records. █
▓ ▓
▒ ▒
░ 1. A Drop in the Ocean 1:23 ░
░ 2. Family Man 3:37 ░
░ 3. How Was Your Ride? 3:59 ░
░ 4. We'll Never Be Apart 2:54 ░
░ 5. Sorrys 2:58 ░
░ 6. Life is an Ocean 3:26 ░
░ 7. Lately 3:24 ░
░ 8. October 3:31 ░
░ 9. The Jackal 3:56 ░
░ 10. Salt Water 2:39 ░
░ 11. Undercover Heart 4:02 ░
░ 12. Lonely Soul 3:42 ░
░ 13. From 44 to 48 4:31 ░
░ 44:02 ░
░ ▒ ▒
▓ █ ░ ▓ ░
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