A triumphant album which is a joy to experience talking as it does about the human condition.
Galahad have, in one form or another, been a performing act since 1985. In 2018, I reviewed Seas of Change, which I thoroughly enjoyed and provided a little background to my feelings on the band and their past. Take a look by clicking on the button below and scrolling down to see that review. I haven’t reviewed the last couple of releases under side project Galahad Electric Company, despite owning the works, but I was really looking forward to this release and checking out whether that impetus on Seas of Change could be carried on. The answer is an overwhelming yes and I have thoroughly enjoyed this album.
The line-up shows one change from 2018, namely Mark Spencer (Twelfth Night and Alan Reed) coming in on bass guitar replacing Tim Ashton. Otherwise, as we were with Stu Nicholson on vocals, Lee Abraham on guitars, Dean Baker on keyboards & orchestration, and Spencer Luckman on drums. Baker collaborates in writing duties on all here with Nicholson, excepting Another Life Not Lived which was written by Nicholson with the late Neil Pepper who passed away eleven years ago now, Blood, Skin and Bone by Baker, Koburg, and Nicholson, with the title track being a group effort.
And so, to the music. Alive kicks off proceedings and explodes into life from the off with some grand keyboards and effects before the band enter. Fans of some of Asia’s grandest moments of pomp and circumstance will find much to enjoy in the opening (and reprise closing) passage, which is interspersed with some darker moments, the basic message being the emergence with fan support from darkness, with that support making the band feel so alive being at the heart of the song. Four minutes in, we get a gorgeous acoustic guitar accompanying a delicate piano. This passage morphs into a synth laden solo by Baker before the guitar riff kicks in, and both are life affirming in their energy. The closing riffs are thunderous in their intensity, and this is a very strong opener.
Omega Lights is the first ten minute plus track on the album. It is a song of the sea, as the opening piece makes clear. Baker continues with his delightful soundscapes evoking the coast and its delights and accompanying dangers. Simply close your eyes and be transported to the Dorset seaside. Three and a half minutes in, the main piece begins with a powerful bassline introducing us to a delicate guitar riff with Nicholson following up with vocals. The words talk of the water lapping on the shore and how it is a wondrous escape. Talking of which, the Omega Lights chorus is pure singalong stuff, very commercial in its impact and thoroughly enjoyable. There is a wonderful interaction between organ and guitar as the mid-section passes and as we move into the denouement, Abrahams sings with his guitar before the chorus reasserts itself with a strength which belies its fundamentally gentle message. This track is a genuine highlight of 2022, an uplifting piece of music which brings a sense of joy of life and location to the listener.
Blood, Skin & Bone is up next, and it opens full of desert mystery with some especially interesting keyboard sequences very reminiscent of some of Numan’s recent (and very strong) works. The track has a dystopian feel within its oriental feel, talking of humans simply being nature’s machines, and the well-made point that we can be destroyers as well as creators. This is a track about the heart of human life, with all its beauty and desperate negativity, something familiar to all who take more than a passing interest in current affairs. The vocals beseeching us not to judge each other so quickly and harshly, and the important point that underneath it all, we are the same fragile creatures is very well made. Abrahams shines with a guitar solo which is at once gorgeous and then wonderfully bitter. The human freak show. Not for quite some time have I heard a track which encompasses this so well with the riffs accompanying the final message extremely intense.
Enclosure 1764 is the shortest of the main album tracks and is subtitled The Goose and the Common. This is an extremely interesting song thematically, combining 18th century traditional protest with modern sensibilities, especially in an era when a tragedy such as Grenfell and that poor boy dying of dampness induced lung disease can occur. Are we that different from those rich thugs who took land back in the day? I think not. The voice and deep keyboards which open are simply gorgeous and when the vocals (and female voice) take centre stage, the simplicity of the message against the clever percussion is vital. The poor and wretched don’t escape. Such truths sadly never change.
The title track is the longest. The notes which accompany the album make it clear this is a tribute to Nicholson’s father, Bob. I would love to learn more of Bob’s story (and nobody knows…) and will likely contact Stu for an interview to share this with you. Nicholson talks of his father being driven, and there is clearly a huge amount of love in this song, which is translated into the warmth of the music presented to us. At its heart, of course, is the simple, but extremely hard to do successfully, job of making one’s son happy and content, and it is those simple childhood pleasures such as holidays and skateboards being made in the seventies which stand out. It is embedded below – enjoy a gorgeous tribute to humanity, not just a father. Musically, there is some very strong bass fretwork, warm keyboards evoking a distant past, jazzy percussion, and an extremely thoughtful yet powerful guitar solo by Abrahams before we get a smoky classic jazz infused close. Wonderful.
Normality of Distance follows. This strikes me as being a track written about someone (female) known to the writers, talking as it does about beneath the surface of a happy person, a victim of bullying lies, and once the paper-thin veneer is removed, the sadness and tears are exposed. This is an emotional song, very modern and extremely effective. Put aside your “neo-prog” prejudices and listen to a band at the top of their modern, wholly original, game. The closing guitar segment is to die for.
The album proper closes with Another Life Not Lived. This is a new version of a song originally written in 2009 by Pepper, who tragically died far too young of cancer, and Nicholson. I know there will be people reading this track who have lost loved ones, often far too early, to the ravages of that terrible disease. These lyrics and the heartfelt music accompanying them are altogether too desperately sad, but also cathartic in that after all of this, loved ones know that the memory will always remain, never fade away, and they will always be a part of us. Musically, the piece is a true band effort. Everything which preceded the track in terms of musicality and the best of individuals is brought together here. This is not a piece of music which will be forgotten after listening.
The digital album I purchased on Bandcamp https://galahad1.bandcamp.com/album/the-last-great-adventurer contains radio edits of Alive and Omega Lights, and fine they are, too. Don’t forget, you can add albums such as this to your “wish list” and try a few times before you buy.
This is a very strong album which really should make many critics top ten of the year lists. This website will attempt to do something a little bit different to those lists but let me say this. By any measure, this is a mighty fine album which demands respect. It is intelligent, hugely enjoyable and comes very highly recommended.