When one considers Brendan Perkins, the words prolific and talented roll off the tongue easily. He has released what is his 25th studio album (according to Prog Archives), and it is once again the perfect combination of English pastoral, symphonic progressive rock which places the listener in that happy place.
Six pieces of music spanning 49 minutes, available to purchase at https://brendanperkins.bandcamp.com/album/trading-river-songs and it probably goes without saying that I heartily recommend that you do so.
Rest at the Shoreline opens proceedings, comparing life to a mountain river with memories of childhood dreams of a new home and life by the shore. Immediately, the soundscapes are warm, welcoming, keys and guitars alongside the trademark bass, Perkins vocals descriptive, always personal, but inviting us into his world. The mellotron is as lush as that venerable instrument should be, and Perkins shows his chops on the fret with a magnificent solo. A solid start to proceedings, the lyrics carrying with them the promise not only of childhood dreams, but also adult yearning for actuality, age distorting reality, the second guitar solo aching in its emotion. It is embedded below.
Banks of the Fleet references the largest of London’s subterranean rivers, now channelling effluent for treatment. The bass melody on this is staggering, an object lesson in how to lead a march on a song. The whole mood puts one in mind of classic four-piece Genesis in its use of atmospheric keys, soaring guitars, searing bass, and warm vocals to send the listener to a world not of the modern pain and noise, but a peaceful arena where thoughts can be expanded in peace, the river itself unspoilt. An easy candidate for “pastoral delight of the year” award on this website.
The title track talks of the hardships of a betrayed family, seeking to reestablish its status. Once again, that Rickenbacker rolls over the ears with ease, notes rising and falling with ease, Perkins channelling the influence of the likes of Squire & Entwistle with ease. He provides a scenic, and quite emotive, vocal on this before the second half of the track segues into a pastoral prog masterpiece, the guitar lead dextrous before an explosion of noise ascending to the sky, the clan proudly reemerging in the final seconds.
Binbrook Skyline is an epic-length track and features the talents of Brendan’s lovely and talented partner, Helen Flunder with backing vocals. It is a song of memories, especially of a childhood in the Lincolnshire Wolds, a gorgeous part of our country, for sure. It is the type of track you should play whilst sitting down outside The Plough Inn in the village with a pint or glass of wine in front of you, and just for 10 minutes, whilst the incredible synths wash over you, dream that all is well with the world. This piece of beauty is embedded below for you.
Angels in a Vacuum does bring us back to the real world in its description of the people revolting against an idiot in power – I wonder who Brendan could be talking about! We are the angels, and we kill the despot with love, which is what he most despises, and this is a very knowing nod to the fact that much of the populations tend to look to blame other peoples for what is going wrong, as opposed to looking closer to home. The acoustic guitar work stands out on this, atmospheric and setting the scene nicely, and the intensity does then build in an orchestral prog setting before the bass leads the charge, the guitar solo taking a cue from Howe’s playbook.
I played closing track, Goddess Earth on a recent radio show, and it is simply a lovely tribute to this planet we inhabit, once again sitting down with that beer, and considering the riches which are in plain sight daily. The vocals on this are gorgeous, the accompanying piano setting the tone perfectly, the emotion rising as it progresses, a superb guitar burst encapsulating all that is good on the whole album. It is embedded below for you, hazy, dreamy, a perfect warm spring evening’s music.
Once again, Perkins has released a thoroughly enjoyable, thoroughly English, progressive rock album.