BRAVE NEW WORLD

Watch out Peplum!!! For yours truly who is not a big fan of albums that exceed fifty-five or even sixty minutes, well for once, I did violence to myself with this second album from the Texans of BUILT FOR THE FUTURE which is approaching seventy-five minutes ! This album is neither more nor less than the sequel to "Chasing Light" released in the summer of 2015 (five years already) and which tells the journey of life, continuity if you prefer. "Brave New World", welcome our traveler to a new world. We have between our ears a concept album about time, the past, suffering, hope and the path that remains to be traveled to reach bliss.

Note that BUILT FOR THE FUTURE is a trio in the studio but becomes a sextet on stage. The iconography of the album is the work of Michal KLIMPCZAK who brings his futuristic and dystopian eye to what a new world could be... We cannot ignore the fact that this album is dedicated to the memory of Neil PEART, one of the greatest drummers of all time if not the greatest. As Patric FARRELL says: Thank you Neil.

From the introduction of the inaugural and eponymous track, it's a firework of keyboard drifts of all kinds, it explodes everywhere in the speakers, an energetic PINK FLOYD like never before mixed with the ELOY of "Inside" or " Floating" and metal elements for the guitars which could come for example from NINE INCH NAILS, so solid. A title little sung given its length, which will not be the case for the following, conclusion which is not hasty, it starts very strong (10/10). With "Breathe" we are faced with a shorter title, more radio calibrated (the COLDPLAY of the first years is not very far away), which could be a hit on the airwaves, carried by the excellent vocal work of Kenny BISSETT and a few tweaks electronic well in tune with the times, very pleasant without being innovative (9/10).

"The Sheltering Sky" which follows, is a slightly popish mid tempo (there is nothing pejorative about it) which also borrows from PINK FLOYD augmented by a very high-flying performance from David PENA's Rickenbacker guitar, when we say that a six-string swirls, we have here the most beautiful example (9/10). I don't skip the whole disc, however, because it's well supplied with varied guitars, 12-string acoustics, electrics and soloists (7/10). Of a completely different caliber presents itself to us, "City of the Sun" and its almost ten minutes, cornerstone of the work of the opinion even of Patric FARRELL, the piece which triggered an increase of inspiration to complete the project in its entirety in just a few weeks, listen carefully to the multiplicity of guitars, it's a bit messy but it's seriously mind-blowing, the musical model is to be found on the side of George HARRISON solo (for the Hindu limit passages) or the dirigible of PLANT, PAGE, JONES and BONHAM, no less (9/10).

The short "Azimuth" is also radiophonic like "Breathe", filled with multiplied choirs with a beautiful synthesizer motif in the background played by Peter FITHIAN, live keyboardist of the group from SAN ANTONIO (8/10). We have the two longest titles left, "Distant Land" first of all and its quarter of an hour, flooded with spatial keyboards on a background of sharp guitars, we are there frankly in a psyche spatiotemporal tunnel of the most beautiful effect (the first four minutes are in this respect a real treat as well as the instrumental passage between the seventh and tenth minute), with particular work on the voices, it's soft, it's violent, it's also complex, just imagine what could give the meeting between the ELOY of the seventies and the YES of "90125" or "Big Generator" with this Rickenbacker which carries the whole, beware a range not easy to listen to given its extent, personally I I found the part between the eleventh and the thirteenth minute relatively indigestible to remain polite but it is part of a whole, so ...... A piece to listen to many times before eventually taming it (7/10 ).

BFTF's new journey ends with "Line of Sight" THE piece more particularly inspired by and dedicated to Neil PEART, the one where Patric FARRELL put all his heart into it to end this "Brave New World" in style and success is at the rendezvous, a piece divinely sung by Kenny BISSETT, keyboards and guitars share the spotlight throughout the twelve minutes, a catchy piece moreover, with again these multiple choirs (which can annoy in the event of overconsumption I admit it), and a synthesized end worthy of the German school of the seventies, good and beautiful work (9/10).

In summary, if you take the time to listen to this long disc, the overall satisfaction will be there, you wills ears will not regret it, little reminder all the same, memorizing the pieces is not easy..