FANTASIZER!

In the almost ten years I have spent reviewing progressive rock albums of every subgenre, I have come across my share of "solo pilot" albums: that is, projects written and performed by an artist without any outside help. Modern technology has made it increasingly easy for anyone with the know-how to record and release their own music, or even to collaborate with other musicians at a distance without ever meeting each other face to face. Unfortunately, the result of such endeavours is often unsatisfactory for a number of reasons.

However, in spite of the hundreds of technically impeccable but ultimately soulless one-man projects released every year under the expansive "prog" umbrella, there are some refreshing exceptions to be found, and one of them is Toronto multi-instrumentalist Dean Watson. I first met him here on ProgArchives, back in 2010, when he had just released his debut album, "Unsettled". Since I had more time on my hands than I have now, I offered to review it, and found a lot to like in the album, in spite of some flaws, such as the recourse to programmed drums. On the other hand, Watson's sophomore effort, 2012's "Imposing Elements", marked an impressive step forward for the Canadian artist: firmly rooted in the progressive jazz-rock tradition inaugurated by seminal albums such as Jeff Beck's "Blow by Blow" or Billy Cobham's "Spectrum" (not to mention the work of Mahavishnu Orchestra and Return to Forever), it displayed an effortlessly natural flow that belied its "solo pilot" origins. Many of these features can also be found on Watson's third album, "Fantasizer!", released in May 2014.

Slightly longer than either of its predecessors at about 58 minutes, "Fantasizer!" continues the tradition of Watson's collaboration with Toronto visual artist Ron Eady, which this time focuses on a faintly disquieting, yet oddly riveting human face rather than the Gothic-tinged industrial landscapes that graced the covers of his first two albums. The compositions have also become more ambitious, with one track (the intriguingly named "Caged Creator") clocking in at over 11 minutes. Like Watson's debut, Fantasizer! occasionally treads paths familiar to fans of Liquid Tension Experiment and Derek Sherinian's Planet X - influences that are especially evident in the title-track's high-energy moments. The clear, crisp sound quality brings out each instrument in detail, making the most of the rich keyboard layers that form the foundation of Watson's music, and their exhilarating duels with an electric guitar in full flight.

The presence of the piano (a notable addition to the already lush instrumentation) adds a note of stately elegance to those compositions that privilege mood-building rather than adrenalin, such as the mesmerizingly intricate "Freak". Heady mellotron washes mesh with electric piano and synth in the sparse, atmospheric first half of "Nomad" before bass and synth take the lead in coolly sauntering fashion. "Linear Tendency" throws jaunty marimba into the mix, with a bright, sunny feel that introduces one of Watson's finest turns on the six strings. Conversely, "Caged Creator" starts out in a gentle, almost unassuming way, before developing into a vibrant, yet highly cohesive jazz-rock epic that juxtaposes liquid piano and marimba with emotional lead guitar, a sprinkling of heavier-edged riffs, and majestic keyboard soundscapes. Then, at the album's very end, the subdued piano piece "Solemn" shows Watson's skill in creating a wide range of moods.

Dean Watson is a very gifted, very talented musician whose work deserves as much exposure as it can get. Therefore, I cannot but wholeheartedly recommend "Fantasizer!" - easily the most mature of an excellent trio of albums - to all fans of instrumental progressive rock, especially of the jazz-rock persuasion. It is a pity that we will very probably never get to see any of those compositions performed on stage, where I am sure they would sound even more impressive than they do on CD.