Back in the more familiar territory of Pop Rock with Susquehanna's Stephen Lawrenson, a place that sounds like something from Space 1999 to this UK Pleb, not Pennsylvania. It has been almost a decade since Lawrenson's third album, Obscuriosity.
I've seen a couple of reviews of the album and I really don't agree with either. Both writers seem to reference directions that I don't hear at all. Those reviews were positive, as mine is though. Chants Of A Lifetime is great at what it does and fewer and fewer seem to aim for this type of album that used to be a staple.
When you hear splendid Guitar driven Pop, you generally immediately fall for the riff driven rockier stuff, but the obligatory slower material can be mediocre seeming obligatory. Not a bit of that here, Lawrenson seems to be more than proficient with either, thus offering up an album that is to be listened to from start to finish. No skipping tracks here.
There are some wonderful arrangements too. The strings on Streets. The whole arrangement of the ace closer, Last Song (Save Me). Long time fans will love the Power Pop of Really Good and Once Upon A Time or the Jangle of King Of Sympathy.
The real enjoyment, however, are the surprise instrumental diversions. The keyboard solo on Really Good, the Mellotron on My Muse. The Psych Pop solo on In Circles. There are two fabulous solos On the splendid Blue Room and The Horizon.
I would normally compare other artists, but I would rather that you listen to the whole album. I've embedded the three songs that I like the most TODAY, nut they are intended to tempt you towards the album. Any of the 10 songs could have been embedded. Yes! The album is that good.
You can listen to and buy the album here.
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Stephen Lawrenson is a true talent ! I’ve had the pleasure of playing in a band with him since we were teenagers ! He is a great friend and musician ! He was my best man in my wedding !
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