BELIEVE

This is another STRONG release from Pendragon that followed 4 years after "Not of This World". While it is admittedly not as amazing as that album, or "The Window of Life", this album has still managed to capture my imagination.

Pendragon has always been known for their soaring melodies, their amazing guitars, their mellower sound, and their grand themes. This release changes things up a little bit, as it adds quite a bit of psychedelia to the mix. The band added a different sound to the synth, many vocal harmonizations that are often female, and even some weird "medicine man"-type atmospheres that feel thick, rather the normal light and sweeping textures Pendragon usually utilizes. Indeed, you can almost feel the incense in the air sometimes, and every track has a strange twist to it. However, every track is also very strong. From the amazing "Wisdom of Solomon" to the multi-track song "The Wishing Well" to the sublime "Learning Curve", this album features several 5-star songs with 4-star songs in between them. As always, though, the band's masterful handling of progression is evident.

This album also features a darker theme then usual. As best I can tell, this album is about the feeling of being lost and confused in a world full of secrets, lies, and knowledge. There is so much we know, so much we THINK we know, and so many lies that have been told us. In the midst of all this, how can we trust even the loved ones in our homes? This album leaves an ominous cloud over your mind, as it causes you to question much that you know. In the end, what do you BELIEVE? How can you cope? Are you willing to trust and believe?

Overall, this album has a unique feel to it, and there are even passages that really remind me of Riverside. But this atmosphere is a fitting vehicle for a discussion of BELIEF and living in an unsure world. Pendragon continues to impress me, and I can't wait to tackle another album in their discography.