FALLING SATELLITES

The no-rules Frost* album, as I like to think of it! 'Falling Satellites' is, of course, the third studio album by the famed underground British prog rock band, released in 2016 after almost a decade of inactivity - and the one thing one must remark here is the fact that this is a very bold release upon return after such a relatively long absence. We have a revitalized sound here as Frost* do not look back upon past successes but rather attempt to reinvent themselves and explore the boundaries of their creativity even further. With this in mind, 'Falling Satellites' is undoubtedly the most strongly pop-influenced album by the collective, while being one of the most difficult listens in their short but flawless catalogue at the same time. Imagine Tears for Fears doing a pop-prog rock opera and I think you would get a very good idea of what this album is like - infectious, technical, energetic, sporadic, and 'self-unaware', this is a somewhat demanding but mandatory listen.

Furthermore, there is the introduction of bassist Nathan King and drummer Craig Blundell, completing the renewed Frost* lineup for 'Falling Satellites', an album that eventually has the strongest beginning of the entire back catalogue of the band - the pop-prog anthems 'Numbers' and 'Signs' as well as the futuristic 'Towerblock', what about some EDM-inspired chops on here? These are followed by the pure pop duet 'Lights Out', an interesting entry that takes us back to Jem Godfrey's background. Then we have the second half of the album, which is the more difficult listen in general as the band dares to experiment with a variety of styles and arrangements as many of the songs surpass the six-minute mark. Some typical Frost* on 'Heartstrings' contrasts with the lush soundscapes of 'Closer to the Sun', which also features a Joe Satriani solo on the guitar. 'The Raging Against the Dying of the Light Blues in 7/8' is a peculiar track that is very well-produced but somehow lacking compositionally, it seems as if it does not go anywhere, while the instrumental 'Nice Day for It'' could have achieved the same effect for half the length but these are very minor flaws that hardly interrupt the nice flow of the album.

'Falling Satellites' is a lovely record whose existence in the Frost* discography must be appreciated for its daring sounds and unusual nature, remaining somewhat of an understudy and a surprise, this record offers a renewed rendition of the band's sound, one that is the always relevant for the contemporary musical scene.