DELUSIONAL

2018's 'Delusional' (love the artwork) contains the same line-up as for the last few albums, but one thing to note is that Kane Miller is no longer stated as providing acoustic guitar, but a Telecaster while Barry Haggarty continues to provide a Stratocaster. There does seem to be a higher use of keyboards on this album than previously, and some songs such as "The Garden Of Forking Paths" seem to be more Floydian than previously although it does more in and out of different styles, but there is still plenty of emotion and atmosphere contained in much of what he is doing. The electric guitar sound is superb, with the solos cutting through like a sharp knife, very Gilmour-esque.

There are times when it appears that Rick is trying to move slightly away from the more atmospheric cinematic backdrops for which he is more well known, but it is never too far and never for too long. There appears to be less flute on this album than what I have become used to, so am not sure if here we are hearing an artist in transition, or if he is just pushing the boundaries a little with this release. Since he came back into the scene with his second album in 1998 (his debut was some 15 years earlier), he has continued to release a series of albums which are full of class and great songs, and he isn't showing any signs yet of slowing down. Definitely one of my favourite artists, if you have never come across Rick before this then you really need to do so.