The famous Progarchy site have published an absolute mindblowing review of the latest Forest Field album Lonely Desert. Reviewer Jay Watson commented on all the tracks and the artwork and gave many songs a 9 or a 10. Here are some edits of his words:
- I wish I had heard of this musical endeavor earlier on as they are quite good and I really like this album. It is a bit of a concept album based loosely on Frank Herbert‘s DUNE, but the listener need not know that classic to enjoy the listening experience.
- Before some track by track comments it needs be said that this not your “classical” prog of the early founding 70’s nor even the second wave iteration. There is more classic rock afoot here than Yes, Genesis, or Spock’s Beard. Forest Field is more of Thin Lizzy meets Judas Priest with Boston stirred in…infused with very tasty mellotron and synth additives. But that is not a bad thing as the music is too good to let restrictive descriptors keep ones ears shut.
- Track 4: Alienation (stranger in me) (5:08) Synths, keys, guitar, drums & base…. Foot starts tapping immediately. Best song so far. I love the melody. This would make a great single in my prog universe! Great guitar solo. 10/10
- Track 5: To Bits (3:01) Another beautifully arranged and mixed instro opening with guitar and bass playing off the synth…then the drums are added at the minute plus mark. This is more of a mood piece. 9/10
- Track 6: Asleep (5:24) Asleep is anything but, as it starts off rocking…a great rhythmic opening…very nice rock tune with great vocals and nice poppy riffs (but in a good way)…This would be another Top 40 hit in my prog imagination. I enjoy the accessible sing-along chorus. Also, maybe my favorite track. More great guitar. 10/10
- After 9 tracks I was thoroughly enjoying this disc but still hoping for some “wibbly-wobbly” prog caricature sounds to cement it in my own, maybe too narrow view of the genre. The closing song does that!
Track 10: Fear (15:10) The guitar chords strummed slowly and majestically invoke a romantic past (neo-classical) with a very beautiful melody. At 2:18 the hard electric guitar, bass, keys, and drums bust in with a forceful driving sound, and again the vocals are big, Journey like almost. There’s a real 80’s feel, almost arena rock (not that that’s always a bad thing). The sing-along nature of this tune (along with most of the other songs) brings to mind Eddie Money, early Styx, Bon Jovi, and most rock with melody. At the 6:50 the guitar gets harder and darker and some nice interplay with the several sounds as well as the vocals put a prog patina on this middle section. The lyrics of being the “freemen” has a prog-foundational-theme firmly ingrained. The dark plodding of the beat contrasted by the light and hopeful sounding lyrics makes this song an anthem of resistance…the “keepers of the spice” will fight. Any 15-minute song has to be prog, I guess. A winning last track 9.5, or maybe 10/10.
Needless to say these are only some of the highlights in the comments. We are still floored. Thank you very much Jay and to read his full article go here.