Here’s a quite wonderful, uplifting and expansive proggy/rocky/ambient instrumental solo album from Ten and Nth Ascension keys man Darrel Treece-Birch.
It’s a “full on” solo album too. Much, much more to DTB that keyboard talents. He plays the lot here – guitar, bass etc. and handles the back room stuff. The result is a high quality offering which allows the mind to think and get lots in itself allowing the listener to let the mind wander.
Outwardly simple yet accessibly complex “soundscapes”, Healing Touch truly comes to the fore if listened to with the aid of headphones. Listen, close your eyes, relax and enjoy.
The media information which came with the review copy (thanks Darrel) describes Healing Touch in this way: The music is elegant and complex yet familiar to the human spirit. Words have a way of rewriting our future, but so does sound and maybe in a more profound way because it speaks to our heart where possibility is infinite. Ten songs, ten messages of positivity, each transforming us from the inside out. This new work is nothing short of a manifesto of the soul, Treece-Birch gives us the opus of the mind.”
Too true. The “opus of the mind” bit too. The rich and varied tracks encourage the listener to imagine all sorts of things during listening. Or simply to sit, listen and enjoy.
A bit of an epic starts things off – God’s Prescription – with a hypnotic, subtle percussion behind the swirling keys and washes of sounds from the guitar and bass.
That sets the tone well for what follows – another nine tracks of instrumental wizardry each different to the last, each painting pictures in the mind’s eye and each displaying varying levels Darrel’s abilities as a multi-instrumentalist.
The guitar work passages do give things a nice understated rocky power particularly on Cast it Out and (my favourite) The Stand.
With so much going on musically, Healing Touch may take you a few listen to appreciate though it is more than worth the “effort”.
Have a listen to No Fear Here:
https://youtu.be/hEIHoXCPXfQ
It’s difficult to describe the album fully given the variety on offer and the way in which it ranges from rock to prog to ambient to ethereal and anywhere in between.
I’d heartily suggest bagging a copy, shut yourself away in peach and quiet, slip on the headphones and enjoy where listening takes you.
Due for release next month (October 2017) – check out more at:
http://darreltreece-birch.com/
http://mrrmusic.com/darrel-treece-birch/
Also, I reviewed Darrel’s previous solo album here and his excellent Nth Ascension stuff here and here. Check them out too.
Coming Next: NWOBHM-ery returns with reviews of the new Lionheart offering and also Desolation Angels oldie and newie.
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