Art Rock Show – Love Over Fear (Week 9)

De Britse band Pendragon is één van de pioniers van het neo-progressieve rock genre. Het nieuwe album is bijzonder goed en bestaat uit niet minder dan drie CD’s…

Scott Medina van Sonic Perspectives: “Having recently celebrated their 40th Anniversary, Pendragon are one of the few bands of progressive rock’s second wave to have persevered and weathered the changes that several decades have thrown at them. Judging by their new release “Love Over Fear”, the aging process is only ripening their creativity and performance, resulting in a supremely satisfying listening experience and one of the jewels of their discography. Main man Nick Barrett has conjured up an inspiring set of songwriting which capitalizes on the strengths of the band and yet also explores new terrain. Sumptuously packaged with inspiring artwork by Liz Saddington, this is a recording which will be hailed by long-time Pendragon fans and also serves as an ideal starting point for any newcomer. (…)

And they’re stunning. Never known for a refined vocal delivery, Barrett truly outdoes himself in these pieces. Indeed he reinvents himself on three fronts: voice, songwriting and his own piano playing. “Starfish and The Moon” hits early on (perhaps too early in the tracking) as the second song and also features some choice wistful guitar fills. But it is on “Whirlwind” that Barrett truly takes off into un-chartered territory, the jazz piano chords underneath with guest saxophone laying a foundation for his heartfelt voice to swirl above. “I’m still in a bit of a state of shock about it, it’s kind of like nothing I’ve ever done before,” Barrett observes. And the legacy of Pendragon is all the richer for it. (…)

Truly, this album is a triumph for Pendragon. Not only are there no fillers among the ten tracks, but each song succeeds confidently and supports the flow of the whole. The diversity in songwriting keeps the listening experience fresh, even as the cover art continues to inspire. Devoted fans will want to splurge on the hardback book edition which contains additional artwork illustrating each song, photographs and two bonus CDs: one with “acoustic renditions” of the songs as well as an instrumental version of the original CD. With an extensive tour in front of them – including several shows already sold out – Pendragon make a strong case that their flag is still rising even in the latter part of their career. By the time they reach their 50th Anniversary they may have raised the bar even yet again.”

Naast Pendragon met Love Over Fear hebben we deze week: Satellite (Into The Night), Magenta (Live At The Point 2007), Pallas (The Edge Of Time) & Panic Room (Skin).

• Thursday/Donderdag 12.00 – 24.00
• Friday/Vrijdag 12.00 – 24.00
• Saturday/Zaterdag 12.00 – 18.00