DER GEFALLENE STERN

Seven years ago, a friend of mine with a penchant for the obscure got me acquainted with a German band called Flaming Bess. The albums back then were Tanz der Gotter and a more recent one called Finstere Sonne. The music of both albums was pleasant enough, if nothing spectacular. Given that both Camel and the Alan Parson's Project are among my favorites, I grew to like them quite a lot in their own right, yet it felt hardly like I was listening to the same band (and safe for the bass player, it apparently wasn't), the one sounding dreamy and romantic, the other one more electronic and experimental. I also checked out the guitarist's Mindmovie albums, which I liked even better.

The group's newest effort is quite a strong one. While the German narrative bits are mostly lost to me, the album gives of a mostly meditative and sometimes dreamy vibe that reminds me of Tales of Mystery and Imagination - perfect for a longer car ride or a relaxed evening at home - with the occasional rocker or ballad thrown in. There are some highly interesting tracks, many of which only unfold their full strength and details on repeat listen. The obvious highlight is the more adventurous, very cool and eclectic Haravienna, the English lyrics of which make me wish I knew more of the overall story.

With a rich, unique and well-defined sound that crosses the boundaries between symphonic and electronic aesthetics, and some inspired instrumentation, especially from Mindmovie, I feel this is what Alan Parsons might sound like if he were still making good music today.