And here is another phenomenal artist who cannot go wrong in anyone’s book, or so it seems, after a long period in the shadows of the front tier of prog artists, guitarist extraordinaire Nick Fletcher is rapidly becoming the darling of the community, as his incredible range can span pretty much all the subgenres of prog, finding a rapt and devout audience in each. 2023’s “Quadvirium” was an incredible revelation, and exceptional release that literally stunned most critics as well as fans. The immediate follow-up “A Longing for Home” only cemented the quality and now the quantity of his artistic capacities, as his new impending release on October 6 promises to be the third ace in the hole. Thanks to the amazing Anne-Claire of Bad Dog Promotions for giving me an advance download to review. Bassist Johnathan Cuniado, Caroline Bonnett on keyboards, vocalist Olga Karpova and violinist Clare Lindley all return to the coop , but the big highlight is Italian drum maestro Roberto Porta, who wickedly infuses syncopating genius throughout this impressive album. Nick handles all the guitars and guitar synths as well as one track on bass. The cover art is extremely catchy, and the title cleverly alludes to some of our current failings, hiding truth in disguise .
Ominous filigrees of sonorities inject “As Above, So Below” with a subtle sensibility, best expressed by violinist Clare Lindley spotlight performance, drummer Roberta Porta devilishly slamming through with a brutal conviction, Cuniado’s bass burping like newborn baby, while both Nick and Caroline remain in the background, as if leaving the space for the others to shine. The piece has a faint aroma of Mahavishnu Orchestra and certainly sets the tone for the rest of the album.
Breezy excellence is to be found on the uber-jazzy “Simulacrum”, this time showing of the bassist’s impeccable technique and incredible velocity, as Olga sings wordless arias like a sunshine wailer, Bonnett holding her own on the e-piano and of course, Nick finally unleashing a blizzard of expertly executed notes that drip with emotional intensity, while Porta provides the oblique, more with less syncopation that would make Bruford blush with envy. I personally love this kind of jazz fusion as it remains aromatic and joyous, titillating all the senses.
The shift into a slightly more mysterious realm appears on “Shadow Walker”, a polyrhythmic tour de force that paints the entire canvas with tons of detail, daring to venture into occasional bluesy licks on the guitar, a sensational Hammond disturbance that only excites all the players to kick it up a notch, including some violin once again. It’s definitely a blistering fusion track that works on all levels, never boring or insipid, and the technical prowess is always on the ball.
A core ten-minute epic boldly dares to venture into stormy territory with the sonic tornado unleashed on “The Shadow Magician”, and its fast and furious, recalling a famous guitar legend that also mastered both heavy metal and jazz fusion, the incomparable Tommy Bollin. Fletcher has the chops to add a Floydian ripple into the proceedings with big bluesy rampage that astoundingly induces another Olga Karpova cosmic vocal wail, before swerving into a Saharan cavalcade, a sonic sandstorm in the making, sweltering winds blowing through the dunes, Porta charming a few snakes in the process with his wizard stick work. Fletcher has his erotic guitar belly dance with sultry abandon, also handling the bass duties, keeping the skirt on, so to speak. The unchecked acceleration becomes a desperate race for an oasis, where the electric guitar winks at Caravanserai-era Santana, providing both solace, comfort and beauty. Fletcher has mastered all facets of his instrument, able to easily express himself within any musical genre, without having to wipe the sweat of his brow. Impressive.
No guitarist worthy of accolades is really complete without mastering the acoustic guitar and on “A Curious Case of Synchronicity”, Nick opens up the festivities by showing his abilities on the instrument, before switching to the electric. He obviously knows the career of the legendary Alan Holdsworth (who doesn’t) and his respect comes in displaying an incredible series of acrobatic variations, without resorting to wasteful non-melodic exhibitions.
The title track is possibly the most accessible and cool jazz friendly track presented here, a highly melodic accessibility still pummeled by hyper busy drum attacks, playful bass elevator scales at breakneck speed and a swift guitar synth effort. Modern jazz fusion with serious homage to the past legends is what Fletcher does best, and this is quite fitting.
The final track “Song of Innocence” lovingly encapsulates nearly 6 minutes of its running time, with enough melodic twists and turns, impulsive rhythmic splashes and a bountiful sense of accomplishment that is hard to describe. Every audition ended with a delightful sense of peaceful enjoyment and spiritual cleansing that can only be viewed as therapeutic music.
Nick Fletcher has arrived a while ago and now imperatively needs to be recognized as one of the premier talents in music today, independent of style or category.
5 Rational Facades