LEE ABRAHAM: The Seasons Turn (PROGRESSIVE ROCK): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

Former bassist of Galahad in the second half of the 2000s and producer by trade, Lee Abraham now continues his career on his own, and has surrounded himself with a plethora of British neo-progressive players. He returns to us in this year 2016 with a fifth album, "The Seasons Turn".

It is with an instrumental sequence and an (already) superb melodic guitar solo very classical that opens the first track of the album. The keyboards are soaring, the melodies superb, accessible and delivered by a warm and captivating voice, supported by an omnipresent piano. All the best that neo-progressive can offer is gathered here without caricature and these 24 minutes seem almost short when the switch takes place on 'Live for Today', a track that would not be out of place in IQ's discography.

Compared to his previous albums, Lee Abraham has abandoned all metal tendencies, concentrating on a remarkable melodic efficiency. As for the fans of guitar solos, they will certainly have their money's worth since they multiply throughout the hour of music proposed on "The Seasons Turn". The choice to use different singers is also very judicious, each one bringing a different timbre throughout the minutes.

For those who are not fond of neo-progressive rock, they can always console themselves by tracking down the subtleties contained in 'The Unknown', the most tortured track of the album. Of course, everything is relative, and one will not seek here of RIO or convoluted progressive! Nevertheless, this last long track offers syncopated rhythms and contretemps, some rougher guitars, vintage keyboards and a Pink Floyd-like finale with a saxophone.

In the field of neo-progressive rock, a genre rather prolific in productions with sometimes doubtful quality, it becomes more and more complicated to stand out. Sean Filkins succeeded in doing this in 2011 with the remarkable "War and Peace & Other Short Stories". Five years later, we can say that Lee Abraham repeats the performance with "The Seasons Turn", an album that will undoubtedly turn in loop for many listeners and that, by its accessibility, will seduce the greatest number. - Official website

LEE ABRAHAM

THE SEASONS TURN

AUTRE LABEL

PROGRESSIVE ROCK