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: : Wanderlust : :
Damn this is a great CD. As good as Surface Serene
(Little Atlas’s first release) is, Wanderlust blows it away. From start
to finish the listener is treated to interesting songs, delicate
messages, intense concepts, and top notch musicianship.
Clearly the guys in Little Atlas have matured as musicians but I feel it
is the songwriting that clearly sets this CD apart for Surface Serene.
Lyrically Steve Katsikas has given us a true leap of faith. The opening
song The Ballad of Eddie Wanderlust, the listener is treated to deep
thoughts, questions about life, memories of past lives, notes about
being bored to tears
in the 21st Century and yet the song ends on a positive note, “…a flow
of the seasons, a balanced perfection”.
As the second song “Higher” begins you are trapped in the music, unable
to leave, unable to turn off the CD player, yep totally hooked. This
song is almost two or possibly three songs in one. Musically it is so
VERY proggy but in ways not normally associated with prog. In some ways
this is a pop song but in the middle bridge the souls of prog bands past
and present swirl in a colorful dance of light and sound.
“Weariness Rides” is a slowly building number that has this wonderful
repetitive piano part that echoes and returns leading to a crescendo of
drums and guitars only to fall back into the piano piece. Steve’s voice
on this song is the captivating part as you hang on every word. His
pitch moves all around and his delectate styling make you ask for more
and more.
There is pain in the lyrics of the songs throughout this CD while at the
same time never leaving the listener caught in some dark melancholy
funk. Little Atlas has filled the entire soundscape of this CD with
pain and hope, darkness and the coming light, sadness and fear with the
challenge of faith. As the ending lyrics from On and On say “Are you
afraid of waking on the other side? Are you enlightened by the wisdom
left behind? There is nothing to reassure us anyway, THAT‘s the paradox
of Faith!
Nuf said! This is an incredible CD and the live video of On and On is so
very good and a nice touch. Buy this CD, you will not be disappointed.
Rating: 9.5 of 10
Reviewed By: Stephen Ellis
: : Visit the Artist’s Website : :
: : Discography : :
Wanderlust - 2005
Surface Serene - 2003
Neverworldly - 1998 |
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