LOST IN THE GHOST LIGHT

A natural turn of events.

Tim Bowness' "Lost in the Ghost Light", 2017, musical language displays an ellaborated simplicity very much in tune with the best of Pop and Rock's easily radio waveable friendly songs. Of course this styling falls naturally in his slow paced, dream like ballads as in his most precious attribute his bare naked, fully emotional lyrics, where music as such is at their command.

It will be totally unwise to bash this project because of the before mentioned closeness to mainstream audiences, worse considering how narrow the borders between Prog and white Pop/Rock eventually turned out in these modern times and if anything (as always) his guest ensemble is quiet a dream team!

Clean, attractive and showing a healthy unpretentiousness, this release does not break any kind of unexplored grounds but emphasizes the well established and focused side of Tim Bowness' personal, atmospheric and melancholic moods and his up front approach in their musical expression as in his unmistakable narrative, moving, as told, towards detailed simplicity and transparent perfection.

*** 3.5 PA stars.

3.5 stars. 2017 was supposed to be my last year of buying new music as I felt I needed to actually enjoy the music I owned instead of always pursuing that "next one". Of course there's a buzz to finding an album I really want, then trying to find someone who sells it, then getting it in the mail, I mean it doesn't get old. I lasted four years(2021) until Apollon Records out of Norway started sending me random music to my old address without warning that I hadn't been at for five years. One of those cds was SHAMBLEMATH's "II" where Simen mentions me in the liner notes which is still the highlight of my little hobby here as a amateur reviewer.

So 2017 saw me pickup more music than in any other year. It was a great year, very deep and I'm still getting to cds in 2024 that I picked up back then like "Lost In The Ghost Light". I was surprised at how many studio albums Tim has released as this is the only one I own. Of course I first became aware of him through NO-MAN but later HENRY FOOL. Plus he has guested on a lot of albums I own. I wish I was more into into voice than I am. It's one of the reasons I haven't got to this until now. Sensitive is a good adjective I suppose where it always feels he is the focus.

I laughed at a fan telling of listening to NO-MAN in his car and his daughter saying the singer is so dramatic. Well maybe in a passive-aggressive way(haha). I always used to wish Steven Wilson was the singer for NO-MAN and I was happy that HENRY FOOL's second album was all instrumental. Yet, whenever I would put on a NO-MAN cd I adjusted quickly to Tim's vocals and got lost in the atmosphere, not the ghost light. Speaking of which. This is a concept album about an old rocker who is no longer popular who is dwelling in the past(ghost light) of a long dead career. Sad, and the cover art done by Jarrod Gosling connects that.

Jarrod from HENRY FOOL and REGAL WORM. Stephan Bennett from HENRY FOOL is the keyboardist, drums are shared by the HENRY FOOL guy and the PAATOS swinger. Bruce Soord is the main guitarist and Colin Edwin the "go-to" bass player, while we get Kit Watkins and Ian Anderson both adding some flute as guests. Eight tracks worth over 43 minutes. My first opinion was that Tim's voice seemed higher pitched than normal. This recording was a process with it being done between 2009 and 2016 in Sweden, USA and England.

Top three would include the opener that many don't seem to mention but it's that atmosphere in the NO-MAN tradition that appeals to me here and I like the guitar. "Moonshot Manchild" is another top three and the second number, while track seven "You Wanted To be Seen" rounds out the trio of songs I like the best. I'm not sure about the energetic "Kill The Pain That's Killing You" or the short title track. Or even "Nowhere Good To Go" which is almost 5 minutes of painfully slow music much like the closer.

I've noticed a couple of Tim's solo albums that seem to get higher marks than most that might be worth at least checking out because I did enjoy this one, especially the NO-MAN references with the atmosphere.

'Lost in the Ghost Light' is one of the great achievements in the discography of Tim Bowness, a fantastically well-crafted album that is definitely informed and inspired by the greats of the seventies' progressive and art rock scene, ideally a concept album about a recording artists who reflects upon the on and off-stage dynamics of his life. An incredibly intimate, melancholic and intricate record, 'Lost in the Ghost Light' is a beautiful musical journey with a retro feel that also exhibits some modern production values and features a cast of impressive collaborators. Undoubtedly this is among the strongest outings by Bowness, a songwriting master with a flamboyant and innovative artistic vision.

The material on here unfolds in the form of eight tracks that all tell the story of the album's protagonist, much reminiscent of a secret diary with the revelations of the artist. This theme is accompanied by the lush and melodic art rock, at times quite cosmic and psychedelic, at times vibrant and hard-hitting - the whole record presents the various tastes of Bowness and serves as the ultimate presentation of his admiration of a long-gone musical era. From the dreamy opener 'Worlds of Yesterday' to the ethereal suite 'Moonshot Manchild', or the gorgeous track 'You'll Be the Silence', Tim Bowness experiments with folky and symphonic passages, all engulfed in a cosmic atmosphere that gives the entire album a somewhat otherworldly feel. The music is great, the songs are tremendous without exception, and the vocals are as good as ever - highly recommended for anyone looking for a modern rendition of classic art rock.