Originally published by L.S. Media. March 26th 2012.
L.S. Media Rating *****
It always comes as a bit of a surprise that musicians have any spare time to be anywhere outside of their own bubble. The group ethic of a band that has been around for years must surely take most of the hours of daylight afforded them and quite a few of the night hours too when they take in the multitude of gigs that they do.
Pete Trewavas of Marillion is one such musician who seems to have many a finger in many splendid pies. When he isn’t working with the Aylesbury based band working on material for the forthcoming new album, he has been jamming and creating many a brilliant tune for Transatlantic and even then the hours seem to be filled still further by teaming up with the excellent Robin Boult and playing a few songs for him. All of this is for pleasure, don’t forget.
Late last year Pete teamed up Eric Blackwood to create, well simply put; an album of distinct and utter charm and a feast for the musical soul. Edison’s Children are Pete and Eric with a few well-placed guest stars in the form of Pete’s band mates from Marillion and also Robin Boult and Mandy Delly being placed neatly into songs that give that little bit of extra kudos to fans of the group. The album doesn’t need them, that has to be said, as it stands as a beautiful piece of musical art by itself but having friends around never hurts and if they are willing to add their voice or Steve Rothery’s unique and sensational guitar sound then so be it. Add away!
The album itself, In the Last Waking Moments…is a thing of beauty and best summed up as a piece of recording history that doesn’t stray from what it sets out to achieve. Some bands give way to a mistaken idea of what will sell to a mass public, the record labels, those that still exist in a format that put pressure on the creative art strangle the life out of the project and you’re sometimes left with a record that sells millions but in the end comes across as indigestible, rotten and quickly fades into the background only to resurface as a bland offering to those who should know better.
In the Last Waking Moments… doesn’t give that impression, this is an album created by two men of musical quality who went out to deliver an album that would get under the skin of those that listen to it. There is so much to say about this album that it would require something along the lines of a student’s final essay to get it all across however if nothing else, listen to the track A Million Miles Away (I wish I had a time machine) and be transported to a world where music isn’t driven by the Pound, the Euro or the Dollar and simply revel in a song of absolute conviction.
Give your brain, soul and ears a treat, it will be worth it!
Ian D. Hall