UNSTUCK IN TIME

Rick Miller is a prolific musician who has been on a series of releases since 2000 when he debuted in 84 with the release of his first album. If I tell you Pink Floyd, Alan Parsons Project, Moody Blues or Genesis you will quickly understand where it will take you for this 15th opus, in atmospheric progressive rock, dark, melancholic, melodic progressive rock; Rick is the first to say that there is little room for jazz fusion, hey that's gonna change me! or for the energetic metal-prog sounds. Also note that this is his second album in 2020 with a track with a targeted reference to covid and you will understand that he actually has more time to compose. Let's go to this melodic monolithic universe.

"The Plague" begins on an ersatz made in the sauce of the day of the PINK FLOYD era Gilmour and "a momentary", Gregorian break, elastic atmosphere and prog drawers that follow interspersed with his suave voice. "State of Emergency" same vein with a higher tone, then similar melodic line. "Covid Concerto" on a synthetic intro that reminds me of The Cars, well in the mood of the 80's! Snubbing your nose at this virus that is spoiling our lives a bit? Compo in the tradition of an Alan Parsons instrumental. "Fateful Apparitions" on a much more complex track, ambient, intimate, dark, scary, Pink Floyd or psychedelic RPWL, interesting because it breaks the lineage of the tracks a bit. "La Causa" to a flamenco, dancing, airy and dynamic tune that awakens your old bones and brightens our ears. "Lost Continuum" and the intro that bathes you in the Moody Blues, even more on the first King Crimson, a flute, bordering on Arabizing the violin, more aerial, almost religious end on distant mantras. "In Sync with the System" starts there on Barclay James Harvest, more sung and rhythmic track, it's calm, the 80's synth break shows a bit here. "Broken Clocks" on a very short track in the same vein without the breaks that maybe go better! "Unstuck in Time" and the flagship title with drawers to start from here and there, a beautiful title but still with an air of déjà-vu and Barry's solos which raise in emotion. Rick Miller released an album in line with the second to last, which sounded a bit like the one before; it's good and you will find all the ingredients that once made people tick; but perhaps too much has happened here by dint of putting on a diaper as beautiful as it is, you may find the repetition a little too obvious. That's good but yes there is a but, it's a nice facsimile of his previous albums without much innovation here. Too bad for someone who follows him, pleasant surprise for someone who does not yet know