CD Review  

Blue Drift
 "Mariner"

Rating: Ships Mate

reviewed by Charlie O'

 

 

Track Listing:

  • Flight Of Doom

  • Nuclear Train

  • Deep Space

  • Digging For Chance

  • Half Light

  • The Mariner

Band
John Lodder - Bass, Keyboards
Arch - Drums, Percussion
Dave Lodder - Guitars, Keyboards

 I remember reviewing Blue Drift's first album Cobalt Coast a couple of years back (see here), and being impressed by it's laid-back edginess. Well here we are at that "difficult" second album time that all the pop stars talk about. Ha! That doesn't apply to Prog Rock, does it kids? Which doesn't mean that this isn't another great album, because it most surely is.

Flight Of Doom gets us under way, and if my memory serves me well, is heavier than anything on Cobalt Coast. This is the sound of an Instrumental band getting it together. Dave Lodder's guitars are as accomplished as we've come to expect, while Bro John's bass work is exemplary too! Arch plays drums. The heavier feel is carried off into the second track Nuclear Train which at 7:14 is only the third longest track on the CD.

Deep Space starts with an spacey (obviously) feeling, evoking memories of Church of Hawkwind, but without so many drugs, before morphing into classic Floyd terittory - ok, so not a great jump there, but effective. The next couple of tracks - Digging For Chance and Half Light - fair chug along in a similar, expansive vein, leading into the exquisite 21 minute epic title track, The Mariner.

It seems that there has been a mini revival in the aquatically-named instrumental prog scene of late, with this album and the album from Nautilus (reviewed here). This album is great instrumental prog at its best, and if you're into this scene, it should be winging its way into your collection.

You can get it from their website at www.bluedrift.net for £11 or if you don't trust this interweb thing as much as you trust your postman, send a cheque for £11.00 payable to "John Lodder" to:

J Lodder
103 Moot Lane
Downton
Salisbury
Wiltshire
SP5 3LE
United Kingdom


Blue Drift - Lodder, Arch, Lodder

Well, go on then!